A Light In The Darkness
by LumBabsFan
Summary: Book III. Inheriting the flirtatious, carefree ways of her parents, Chandellina fails to see that she is playing with fire. But when the de Crochet son escapes his life sentence, it could prove to be more deadly than she thinks.
1. Chapter One

**A Light In The Darkness**

_Book Three of the Lumiere & Babette Fanfiction Trilogy_

_Written by Faith Kelter_

Beauty and the Beast Characters © Walt Disney Company

Original Characters © Faith

_Chapter One_

Five years, five long years, since the household had seen their master. The last anyone had heard of him was the day his mother, the lady of the house, had passed on. Why he had suddenly disappeared when he had inherited everything had remained a mystery to the servants of the de Crochet manor, for the new mistress would never disclose any news she may have heard.

Until that day, the first of December.

It began snowing rather heavily that morning, and while everyone expected a storm, it had slowed later in the afternoon. Nonetheless, Jean-Claude answered the door as the knock resounded like thunder throughout the front hall; no one deserved to be out in such weather. The man on the opposite side shoved his way past him roughly, literally throwing a densely snow covered cloak at him without so much as a thank you. Typical of even the upper servant class, as the man's manner of dress exposed him to be; it was not just the royals who treated his low rank this way.

After seeing to the cloak, he followed the man to the mistress' sitting room and listened silently. Damn these doors for being almost sound proof.

"…revolt…free…he will be home soon enough."

They must have been nearing the door as the words grew louder and more understandable.

"…but they would not save a royal! He would still be killed," came the mistress' voice.

"I have taken care of that; he will be the first one saved. You know you can trust me, Adele."

"Of course I know, Arnaud…I just want him brought home…promise?"

"I swear it, when the time is right, he will be. And when he is…we will all have our revenge for what that monstrosity did to him."

There was a moment's pause, and Jean-Claude prided himself in his speed to escape being seen as the man left, the mistress at his side until he reached the door. He tried to understand what he had heard, his expression turning to disgust as he watched them embrace. Whatever their plan, he was certain the master would be returning home sooner than Babette would have wanted, and it did not sound as if it would be a happy reunion for her and the household she served.

With a bound to his room, he grabbed his own cloak and bolted for the door. She would be on her way to the grave by then, and he had to tell her. This was not something to be ignored.

-----

"Lina! Stop that!" Babette reached for her daughter and as usual, missed her by a long shot. Her energy was unmatched by any child she had known before, and therefore, Chandellina was fast enough to escape her parents whenever childish necessity called her to do so.

Of course, that never did stop her mother's fear. "Chandellina! Come back here!"

Lumière pulled the horses to a halt at hearing the full name used this time, and turned to find his daughter climbing to the driver's seat of the open carriage the master had allowed them to use. When the couple had gone to visit the grave before, they had taken their horses alone. With Chandellina still being too young to ride, or so Babette insisted, the carriage was much easier.

Or so they had thought, he mused with a smile as he leaned to gather the little girl into his arms and seat her in his lap.

"See, Maman?" she asked, making certain Babette could see her, safe and unharmed. "I got here all by myself!"

"You are going to get hurt if you are not more careful!"

"Leave her be," Lumière laughed. "She simply wanted to be with the only man in her life for hopefully a _long_ time."

Babette scowled. "You are willing to _let_ her break her neck?"

He smirked, defiantly yet adorably at his wife, but spoke to his daughter. "I think we just have to work harder at showing Maman that you are becoming a big girl. Deal?" A very enthusiastic nod was the only reply he needed, and with that, he turned his eyes to the road, handed the girl the reins (his own hands guiding hers of course!), and snapped the horses into their walk once more.

Babette sighed, sulking a bit as she leaned back against the seat, not knowing who would be the death of her first. Up until Chandellina's fifth birthday last spring, Lumière had been on her side when it came to worrying about her. The slightest cough, the pain of a first tooth, both of them fretted over their baby, but as time went on, that had all changed.

Perhaps, she was worrying too much, but she was, after all, a first time mother. It was her right and duty to do so. When she looked at her child, it seemed as if time was slipping hastily through her fingers. Chandellina, or Lina as they had come to call her for short, was her everything in her world aside from her husband. Since the day she was told of her condition, despite her fears, Babette had loved that girl to death. When she was born, bearing her father's eyes and smile, she never thought she had seen anything more beautiful.

But she was growing up now; no one had exactly warned her about how difficult that part was going to be. Every day, Babette found herself feeling more sympathetic to Cogsworth for everything they had put him through all those years. She now understood how he must have felt about not having complete control over her and her fellow servants of the castle, and was becoming a believer that Lina was the lesson she had to learn in result.

Eventually she would learn to live and let live…just not today.

-----

A child's curiosity, one of the great mysteries of life, Lumière was convinced as he watched Lina keep her eyes glued to the sight of her mother knelt at one of the headstones.

"Papa…Maman's talking to the rock," she muttered, completely confused.

How he kept seriousness about his expression, he could not explain to this day. "Indeed she is."

Lina tilted her head in thought before she looked up at him, tugging on his hand in demand of an answer. "Why? It can't talk back; even I know _that_!"

Lumière smiled. "That is where her maman is sleeping right now, cherie; the only way to talk to her is through the rock." He offered her a questioning look. "Besides, how do you know they can not talk?"

"Because they can't. They do not breathe and stuff like we do."

"Really?" Lumière asked, raising an eyebrow. "Ah, I thought it was because we do not listen close enough."

"Nope!" she answered decisively. "You can listen all you want; it won't answer."

Before he could respond, Lina's tiny ears caught a strange sound in the distance, and turning to see what it was, she saw two men riding towards them.

"Papa, look!" she pointed. "Someone else is coming here too!"

Lumière whirled around to follow her direction, relieved to only see Jean-Claude and a younger boy dismount their horses to join them.

"Lumière, quite a surprise to see you here, mon ami," he said with a laugh, offering his hand for a greeting.

He nodded with a smile, returning the gesture. The two had become fast friends with every visit. This man was like a brother to his wife when she had worked for the de Crochet household, and hence had his utmost respect and friendship. "Where else would we be today, Jean-Claude? Babette would have my hide if we did not come."

"Bien sur!" Jean-Claude then glanced at Lina, who grew the slightest bit shy, hiding her face in the sanctity of her father's knee. "And this small one! This cannot be Chandellina! She is much too grown up and pretty!" Those words had at least earned him a smile before he turned to the boy, no younger than twelve, beside him. "You remember my son, Etienne."

The boy nodded his greeting.

"Perhaps…he could show her the surrounding grounds if that would be all right?"

Lumière would normally give a negative response in trying to prevent any more angry looks from Babette, but Jean-Claude's urgent tone hidden behind the innocent request made him realize it had to be for the best.

"I do not see why not," he nodded to Lina, who looked at him puzzled, but shrugged nonetheless.

"All right, but if Maman sends you to heaven like she always says she will, do not get mad at me. Promise?"

Lumière raised his hand to give her his word. "I promise."

By the time the children were out of sight, Babette was returning to join them.

"Jean-Claude?" she smiled, embracing her friend as she asked. "What has you coming all the way out here?" She looked around quickly, her eyes beginning to scream murder at her husband as she added, "Where is my daughter?"

"That is my fault," Jean-Claude answered reassuringly. "Lina is with my son, étienne. He is showing her the grounds as I am positive you would not want her to hear what I have to say."

"What are you talking about?"

He glanced around quickly to make certain no one could hear or see them, only speaking when he felt they were safe. "Have you seen Jacques de Crochet any time recently?"

Lumière visibly tensed with anger at the very mention of that name. "Thankfully not since the day the master sent him off to face his uncle's judgment for what he did to Babette."

Jean-Claude nodded. Having kept in writing correspondence with his friend from the day she had left them, he knew of every thing that had occurred those few years ago. Jacques de Crochet, his former master, had feelings for the girl ever since she had grown into a beautiful young woman, but the love was unrequited. The day her mother had died, Madame de Crochet had dismissed Babette, sensing the girl was trouble and not wanting her son involved with a mere servant. Years later, under the guise of a mission, he had hunted her down, and in jealousy of her love for Lumière and carrying his child, he had nearly killed her. The crown prince, Vincent, having discovered what he had done, sent him away to his uncle, who had ordered the mission, to face his justice.

Babette pressed him for answers. "What has happened, Jean-Claude? The last we had heard, Jacques was sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his life."

Lumière growled, "As the master said, he was shown too much mercy."

Babette's eyes grew wide in fear. "He could not have escaped…"

Jean-Claude took her hand reassuringly, "No, he has not…not yet."

"Not yet?! What do you mean not yet?"

The man shook his head. "I do not know for certain, but earlier today, a man came to the household, bearing coincidently the crest of your master, the prince, on his clothes. I overheard him speaking to Adele about revenge, how 'he' will be home soon enough. I had to warn you."

Babette shook her head slowly. "No…no he can't…"

Lumière held her close, attempting to calm her down. It would not do any of them good if Lina returned to see her fear. "You said he wore the crest of the prince…?"

Jean-Claude nodded. "Yes, a beast of unimaginable dreadfulness holding the most beautiful rose."

Lumière sighed, "Even worse then, he is getting his assistance from one of our own. He could know everything that is happening at the castle, and decide when to strike using that knowledge…"

Babette swallowed a sob. "He will come for Lina…I know he will. He knows that any harm that comes to her will hurt us the most."

"No!" Lumière interrupted her sharply before quieting himself, attempting an optimistic tone. "No, he will not. Jean-Claude has done the right thing in telling us now. We inform the master, and everything will be all right."

Babette remained unconvinced. "Where is Lina? I want to get her home."

Sure enough, just as she asked, the girl herself bounded up to her excitedly.

"Maman!" she said, jumping around her and tugging at her skirts. "You used to live here when you were little?! You are so lucky; it's so big!! You must have had so much fun running around here!"

Babette gathered her in her arms, holding her protectively close. "Yes, cherie, I did, and I do hate to leave, but we have to. Now."

"What?" she whined, "Why?! I want to see more!"

"Chandellina."

If there was one tone she did not argue with, Lina knew it was that one. She rarely heard her full name unless it was serious. Thus she sighed, disappointed. "All right…but I get to help Papa drive!"

Jean-Claude gave her an apologetic gaze, and Babette smiled to conceal her fear. Leaning in to embrace him, she whispered, "It is all right, mon ami…you had to tell us."

Lumière nodded in agreement as he shook the man's hand. "Indeed, merci."

After the final farewells were said, the small family returned to the carriage. Lumière gave his wife a concerned glance. "Ride on the front with us, amourette; we need the company."

Babette nodded, climbing up onto the seat, holding Lina until he joined them. The moment she sat in his lap, however, the small girl fell asleep, exhaustion finally catching up to her.

"Everything will be all right," Lumière whispered, keeping his eyes on the road, but drawing Babette close with his free hand. "Nothing will happen to either you or Lina; I will not stand for it."

"I know," she answered, trying to sound convinced. "I just want to get home; the sooner that happens, the safer I will feel."

He smiled. "That old castle does have quite a home like feel, doesn't it?"

She laughed gently, unable to resist his optimism. "Yes, it does."

Lumière grinned, crooning gently, "Then close your eyes, get some rest. When you open them again, you will be there."

Babette obeyed, grateful that her fears would be eased for a short while. Everything would be all right…they had to be.


	2. Chapter Two

_Chapter Two_

The prisons of France, damp holes whose single purpose was to degrade the humanity of wrong doing people. It was an ironic thought that so many people feared death when places such as this proved to be much worse. Auguste had chosen wisely the day Vincent returned Jacques to face his judgment; death would have been a privilege.

No one would have recognized the last son of the de Crochet line. While he was evil in every definition of the word to those who knew him well, Jacques de Crochet never once displayed less than a true aristocratic, majestic aura in public. He was well groomed and admittedly handsome in face, displaying authority and presence in every situation he faced, hence earning him the respect or fear he deserved.

But all that remained of him now was a fallen shadow of a powerful man. His dark hair was matted, his once curious eyes bloodshot and on the brink of insanity, and the clothes on his back were shredded rags that only the scum of the streets ought to have. Worst of all was his horribly scorched right hand, destroyed with scarred burns from the battle in the cemetery.

Thankfully, Arnaud and the prison guards had been the only people to see him in such a state, and that is how his treacherous toady found him yet again that night.

"Jacques? Where are you? Are you in here?"

"Where else would I be, you imbecile?" Jacques wheezed, the years taking their toll on his voice. "All of them have seen to it that I be caged for the rest of eternity."

Arnaud knelt down on one knee next to the shackled man, glaring at the crest he was forced to wear as the captain of the palace guards. "I do not choose to stay with those you hate; you have asked me to stay on your unknown behalf."

"Did I say I hated you for it?"

"No."

"Then end your useless whining, and tell me what you know."

Arnaud nodded, and continued. "I have given the escape order to my most trusted men, ones that despise royals enough to wish nothing but despair on Vincent and his family for their rich blood alone."

"Oh, wonderful!" Jacques snarled sarcastically. "More idiots like you."

Arnaud let the insult slide in his one ear and leave the other. "The most opportune time for your freedom is the eve of the upcoming new year. Vincent and his wife, Belle, are planning a grand masque ball; everyone of great importance will attend. All Vincent's allies who might stand in our way will be at the ball, and therefore no hindrance to us."

"And the prison warden?"

Arnaud smirked proudly. "He can be easily, shall we say, persuaded to see and know nothing of our plans."

Jacques nodded his approval of the plan. As stupid and careless as he could be, Arnaud did manage to retain a bit of intelligence, and when he used it, he was nothing short of a genius.

After a silent moment, he asked, "And…what of Babette?"

Arnaud growled slightly. After everything the cursed slut had done to this man, he could not get her off of his mind. If the thought of her distracted him then, the plan was certain to go wrong. "What does she matter? How could you still think of her now and like this?"

Jacques turned his blazing eyes up at him. Even then, he could still send chills up any spine he chose with his stare alone. He did not need to speak.

Arnaud shook his head with a defeated sigh. "My apologies. She is well, as typical a mother as one could imagine."

The eyes only grew darker. How many times had he tried to forget that Babette had betrayed him? Him, the man who was willing to give her anything she wanted, a servant or not; he who was desperate to love her like no man ever would. After all those years he had longed for her, wanted her back at his side, he had found her with another man in her heart and carrying his love child. More than that, a few weeks after he was imprisoned, Arnaud had brought the news that she had married her affectionate fool, and for so long, Jacques felt himself unwilling to fight to go on. She had completely given herself to her little court jester, first with his child and then in marriage…the night of that first new year…New Year's Eve…

"Arnaud…" Jacques whispered, deep in thought.

"What is it, Jacques?"

"Remember one thing the night I escape."

"Anything."

Jacques felt his cracked lips, dry as the sun, break into a grin, the first time he truly felt like his old self in five long years. "Bring me a fresh change of clothes, only the best; Adele will still have them undoubtedly. And also…a handsome mask."

Arnaud looked at him puzzled. "Why would you need that?"

Jacques closed his eyes, reveling in his newfound disturbing pleasure. "I shall be accepting an unwritten invitation to the grandest ball of the year…and I must offer my fondest wishes on a friend for her milestone anniversary."

-----

Babette grinned gently, standing in front of the mirror as she gathered her hair neatly. Lumière constantly vowed that one day he would be able to startle her from behind as she often did to him. The problem was he never chose the right time to make his attack as proven when she caught a glimpse of him in the glass.

Nonetheless, she humored him, pretending she saw nothing, as she lifted her arms to pin her maid's cap in place over her curled locks.

Taking full advantage of the position, Lumière slowly wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning to place a gentle kiss on her bared shoulder. "Bon anniversaire, ma plumette," he whispered, grinning wildly at their reflection. The more she playfully tried to escape, the closer he drew to her, ordering his lips to grace her throat with the same subtle passion.

"I am not quite ready yet," she gasped, but it was not long before she was too busy swooning in delight to make any attempt to stop him.

Locking her wrists behind her back in his hands, Lumière teased, "Do I look like I care?"

Babette leaned her forehead to his, a smile fleeting across her lips. "You never could fight fairly."

"Would you rather I did?"

"Never," she breathed, stealing the desperate kiss she longed for, short as it would be. Feeling something tugging at her skirts, Babette shrieked as she tore herself away. Stitches had found her once again, the poor cat still living in a dream world that the maid had remained a feather duster.

Babette quickly looked to the door, her eyes going wide nervously. "You did not close it?" she hissed, moving to do so.

Lumière took a deep breath; their moment had ended a little more abruptly than he could handle. "I…thought I did."

Babette sighed, "Well it could have been worse…"

"Maman!" Lina's voice screeched from the hallway. "Maman, I have to get the cat!"

Babette ran a hand over her face in frustration. "I rest my case!" she muttered, returning to open the door again, this time with a smile. "All right then, come in."

"And hurry, ma petite," Lumière added. "You know how Maman feels about cats, and she gets most impatient when they need to be taken from the room."

Babette raised an eyebrow at him. "_Do_ I now?"

Lumière nodded casually. "Absolument."

Lina rolled her eyes discreetly, gathering the small animal in her arms. "Come on, Stitches! Maman does not like you too much." In a whisper, she added, "Plus, Papa's in trouble; we have to go."

As the door shut with the girl's exit, Lumière made his way to his wife's side again. "Now…where were we?" he asked fervently, but stopped when she turned from him. "Babette what is it?"

When she faced him again, the tone of her irritated smile told him he was supposed to regret something. What it was, he had no idea.

"You are such an expert on patience then?"

That was it. "I did not mean that."

"Oh but I think you did," she nodded. "Let's see it then. Our official anniversary does not start until midnight, which gives you…" She took his watch from his vest pocket. "Oh, quite a _long_ time!" With a smirk, she placed timepiece in his hand, and walked to the door, glancing back only once to smile sweetly.

"Suffer."

-----

"Come _on_!" Lina hissed as she sat at the top of the grand staircase that led to the ballroom.

Alexandre, Vincent and Belle's son, peeked out from behind the curtain where the pair had started their quest. "You are crazy!" he growled. "You know that they will see us!"

Lina put her hands on her hips, adorably indignant. "You're just scared!"

The boy stomped his way to her, standing at his full height (an entire inch taller) before her. "You can't say that to me!"

"Why not?"

"'Cause _I _am a _prince_!"

Lina gave him the once over, unimpressed, for she did not yet understand the true authority her best friend had over her in life. Aside from her parents and the other adults in the castle, she listened to no one. In her eyes, he was no more important than she was. "So?"

"_You_ have to listen to _me_!!"

"Shh!" she hushed him, covering his mouth before he gave away their plan. "Do you _want _them to see us?!"

He mumbled through her hand what she interpreted as a "No."

"Then be quiet and come on!"

This time, Alexandre did follow her as they peered through the bars of the railings to watch the spectacle and splendor of the masquerade ball. All that they could do was gaze in awe at the scene below, for they had never seen so much color, such merriment…so many grown-ups in masks and dressing up!

"It looks like a picture in that book your maman read to us!" Lina whispered.

"Yeah…" Alexandre agreed. "I want to be like Chip…he gets to stay up for the party!"

"'Cause he's a big kid, stupid!" she replied, annoyed that she obviously had to explain everything. "He has _two_ numbers in his age!"

"I _know _that!" he muttered angrily. "I just wish we could see it closer!"

Lina looked over at him, the expression on her face a clear reflection of her father's infamous smirk of foreboding disobedience. "Why can't we?"

He looked at her and shook his head. "You _are _crazy!" But the curiosity to see more dispelled his fears in a record two seconds. "Let's do it."

Slowly but surely, the two friends slinked down the stairs, preferably behind the gigantic dresses many of the women were wearing, until they reached the long dinner table where they made their hideout. For the time being, they were safe.

"Are you sure they can't see us?" Alexandre whispered as he followed her lying down stomach first and peering out from the waving tablecloth.

"I don't think so," Lina answered, quite sure of herself. "Grown-ups are big, they don't look down too much."

For the longest time, neither could believe how well their luck was going; for once, Lina's insanely childish schemes were working! But she had forgotten one minor detail, and she gasped as she looked over to see a big, wet nose sniffing its way towards them.

"Oh no!" she hissed, trying to back away. "It's Sultan!"

"What is it, boy? What have you got there?"

Now they were done for. Lumière's distinct voice and footsteps grew louder as they followed an excitedly barking Sultan to the dinner table. The next thing they knew, he lifted the cloth to find them there, the bright mask he wore startling them for only a moment.

"Papa, don't get mad!" Lina pleaded.

"It was her idea!" Alexandre pointed out.

Lumière could not contain a laugh as he offered each of his hands to help them out from under the table. "Oh so you were a tad later than I thought you would be! No reason to fuss!"

Wasting no time in gathering Lina onto the back she loved to ride, kindly asking her to loosen the grip she had on his neck a bit, Lumière took her and Alexandre by his hand over to Belle. Despite the master's changed ways, she was bound to be the more understanding of the couple.

"Begging the mistress' pardon, but I seem to have found something I thought may belong to you," he smiled.

"I didn't mean it!" Alexandre cried. "I wanted to see the party and she made me get up and follow her…!"

Belle sighed, but smiled nevertheless. "Hush, little one," she said, hugging him close to calm him down. "I do not see any harm in visiting for a few minutes."

"Really?"

"_Really_ really?" Lina added from where she had climbed to her father's shoulders.

"Of course." She looked to Lumière. "Unless Babette or yourself think it a problem?"

"Not at all! I have wanted to dance with a pretty young lady all night!" As the music started once again, he placed Lina down on the floor before him, bowed gracefully, even a little silly, and offered her his hand. "May I have this dance, mademoiselle?"

Lina giggled in delight and curtsied as if she were wearing a splendid ball gown instead of her bedclothes. "Oui, monsieur," she replied, her young voice gliding over their native language perfectly, and took his hand, following him to the floor.

Across the room, Babette placed down a tray of glasses, having actually been trusted with them again even after incident at the first ball she served there. After glancing at the clock—almost midnight, she thought with a smile—her eyes caught the sight of her husband and daughter's dance, and she shook her head in both amusement and adoration. They were quite a sight to behold. Lumière was a tall man, and Lina was still no bigger than his knees. But that did not stop father or daughter as they glided along with the rest of the couples.

"I knew it! He is a natural!"

Babette turned to see who had spoken, rolling her eyes as she did. "You never could just say hello could you, oh most honorable lady of the décor?"

Even through her mask, Babette could recognize Angelique, castle decorator and her closest of friends, in a second. Angelique, however, seemed ready to fall over in shock.

"What kind of hello was that?" she asked. "You no longer have any worthwhile comments to challenge me?"

Babette laughed. "Give me a few more minutes to watch them, and then I will see what I can do."

Angelique pouted before she mockingly raised her hands to cover her face. "My own best friend has forsaken me! She has let me down and not too easily!" she cried. "Marriage has made her soft! I only hope…it doesn't do the same to me." She parted her fingers to see if Babette took the bait.

"Don't worry, it—" Babette stopped and looked at her suddenly. "You…you're…?"

Angelique smiled and held out her left hand that bore a simple little gold band on her finger. "Engaged actually, but will married soon enough. I could not let you have all the glory."

Never in her life had Babette been so quick to hug someone. "Mon Dieu, this is wonderful! But who…?"

The girl nodded over to the musicians playing, focusing a smile at the conductor, Fife the court composer. He had adored Angelique from afar for as long as anyone could remember, but whenever he asked her for a date, she would find any and every excuse to say no.

Another moment of shock, and Babette knew she would collapse. "Are you serious? And you did not tell me? I have it in my right mind to beat you senseless!"

Angelique smirked. "Not all of us want to display our love so obviously for the world to see; we wanted to wait until the time is right."

"But…when?"

"I gave in after the Christmas gala last year. Interesting really, I said yes to a romantic rendezvous to stop his incessant begging, but I actually enjoyed myself. The rest is history."

Babette laughed, gleefully embracing her friend once more. "Only the best to you then."

"Merci, mon amie," she replied, before they both turned to watch the dance come to a finish. "To think that you had so many doubts about him as a father; you must be so happy."

Babette smiled, a mischievous glimmer in her eyes as Lumière saw her watching them and grinned. "Happy is not a strong enough word."

"Ah oui, I forgot," Angelique teased. "Tonight is your anniversary as well. You must be thrilled then with such a—how should I put this—_ravishing_ night ahead of you."

A playful smack silenced her, as Babette blushed a furiously bright red, "Louder, I do not think my daughter's innocent ears heard you!"

"True," Angelique nodded, "Best that she does not find out how she came to be until she is older then." She grew serious though her smile remained. "But really, everything has turned out to be just as you hoped. Nothing could possibly go wrong for you now."

As if her words, however, could cause what she said to happen, the massive door leading to the terrace burst open and a ghastly wind blew out the majority of candlelights in the room.

"Papa, what's going on?" Lina cried over the guests' screams of terror, holding tight to Lumière as he gathered her in his arms, racing to Babette and Angelique.

"Just the wind, my darling; that is all," he assured her. "But right now, I think it best if you stayed right here with Maman. I will be right back, I promise."

It took all the strength of Vincent, Lumière, and Cogsworth to fight the door shut until the wind died down. As they could then easily close it, Cogsworth shouted, "Wait! There, look at the latch from the terrace side."

"Unlocked," Lumière concluded. "It was opened from the outside."

"Then this was not an accident," Vincent added.

"Indeed your highness!" a voice shouted mockingly from the middle of the room, and the crowd parted to reveal a man, dressed in marvelous red garments and wearing the mask of a skull. "Your skills of deduction are unmatched!"

Vincent glared at him. "You wish to taunt me? Remove your mask then sir, and reveal yourself!"

The man simply laughed, clearly amused. "Gladly!" Slowly, he removed the skull, to reveal none other than Jacques de Crochet, once again his former regal self.


	3. Chapter Three

_Chapter Three_

Across the room, Babette drew Lina close to her, Angelique and eventually Fife standing over them. There was safety in numbers, and uncertain as to what precisely was about to occur, group protection was the better option.

"You!" Lumière growled. With Jacques grinning maliciously, wordlessly daring him to strike, he started to advance, but halted his steps when Vincent pulled him back.

"Stop," the prince warned quietly. "He is armed and prepared to fight; no good will come from antagonizing him."

"A wise decision, your highness!" Jacques laughed, moving stealthily towards the three men, a predator taunting his prey before an attack. "The smartest words I have ever heard from you!"

Vincent stepped forward in cautious defense. He would not start a fight, but like Lumière, was quite willing to finish one. "I do not recall sending an invitation to your current residence at the prison."

Jacques nodded. "I thank you for that; even if you had sent one, it would not have reached me. On the other hand," he shook his head in mock dismay. "I must offer my distress at not being invited to such an affair!"

"You were not wanted!" Lumière snarled so heatedly that he frightened himself, let alone others. He was rarely considered violent or vicious, but at that moment, he wished for nothing but every drop of this man's blood.

Jacques' eyes flashed sharply back to his. "I realize that, you idiot! Unlike some of us here, my mind is not petty and ridiculous."

"Says the hypocritical murderer!"

To kill him was Lumière's only intent as he moved to strike, but Jacques proved the faster combatant. He drew a sword swiftly, aiming the point directly at his throat and forcing him into a standstill.

"Papa!"

Both men turned at Lina's cry, smothered by Babette's hand covering her mouth. When Jacques glanced to his opponent once more, there was a revolting glimmer of pleasure and certain victory in his dark eyes.

"How stupid of me," he muttered, a grin playing about his lips. "I keep forgetting. There is little satisfaction in giving you a scratch or two; those will heal."

A snap of his ungloved left-handed fingers brought enough of Jacques' own followers to hold back anyone willing to attack him. Turning to three of his masked men, he nodded to Lina and ordered, "The child…bring her here."

"No!" Babette screeched, clutching Lina protectively. "Jacques, please!"

"Bring her here, now!" he barked, ignoring her pleas. "One of you…take care of the mother should she put up a fight."

The men did as they were told, two of them struggling the daughter away from her mother, as the one remained to keep Babette, Angelique, and Fife at bay.

Jacques smirked as he knelt and gripped Lina's tiny hands in his own, his guards holding Lumière at sword point. "My congratulations to you both," he mocked, grinning hungrily at his newest prey. "Such a beautiful child; thankfully looks more like her mother…'tis a shame though…"

Lumière shoved the blades away as he attempted to break past his captors, but they were well trained. Gripping him tightly back, blades returning to his throat, Lumière was rendered helpless, only able to battle with desperate words.

"You harm one hair on her head…and I swear I'll…!"

"You will do what?" Jacques scoffed, seizing the crying, terrified girl by the collar of her bedclothes and thrusting her towards him as if she were nothing but a rag doll. "I would have thought you more intelligent than to threaten me when I can slash her to pieces right here and now!"

"You would not be such a madman…" Lumière muttered, more like a prayer than a statement.

Jacques looked back to Lina, reveling in her tears, and smiled carnivorously as he continued to address her father. "As I said, a few scratches would not hurt you enough to satisfy me. Destruction of your most precious possession…that is an entirely different story."

With the little strength she had, Babette pushed herself away from Angelique, who tried to hold her back, and pleaded trying to shove past the single minion in her way. "Jacques don't, please! For the sake of humanity, don't do this!"

Jacques glanced at her once, but said nothing as he returned his gaze to Lina. "Bid them farewell, small one…short as it was, your life has gone on for too long." He threw down his sword and drew out his dagger, raising it into the air. "All my best in the life to come…!"

For a brief moment, time stood still. Amongst the shrieks and protests as the dagger plunged towards its target, Lina heard nothing…except a voice that sounded like a distant echo, a woman's voice resounding off the walls and into her tiny ears.

"_Palmus bursto flamus_…" 

Young as she was, Lina heard these words, hastily repeated over and over…and miraculously understood. As if entranced, she reached her small hands into the air, gripping Jacques' wrist, and ceasing his attack. The man cried out in pain feeling the most unusual, intense burning sensation as if a flaming hot poker had been thrust into it. Loosing grip on his dagger, hardly hearing the "clang!" it made as it hit the marble floor, he desperately tried to free himself from her grasp as the glove he wore literally began to let off steam.

Never one to accept defeat so easily, but smart enough to know the victory was no longer in his favor, Jacques gave one more rough pull from Lina's hands and sounded the retreat. For now, the battle was over.

Freed at last, both Lumière and Babette raced to Lina's side and held her close. Babette gathered her quickly into her arms as Lumière led them into the hallway, offering their excuses as chatter arose from the crowd of guests.

"The very nerve of that man…"

"But did you see what she did to him…?"

"It was as if her hands were made of fire…!"

If seeing to his family had not been his foremost concern, Lumière would have stayed to listen to that last comment. He had hoped no one saw that, although how could they not? A little girl, hardly more than a baby, bringing down the most dangerous man on the face of the earth…it was like magic…enchantment…

No…it couldn't have been…could it? And if it was…why?

-----

Later that night, or morning, Babette could not tell which, she finally surrendered to her mind's warning to stay awake. Normally, sleep was her way of healing. It allowed the mind to clear throughout the night, making it easier to ponder over important matters the next day. Unfortunately, that would not happen tonight.

Glancing beside her, she smiled as she gazed upon the sight of her husband and daughter sound asleep. Lina begged to stay with them, rightfully so, and without hesitation they agreed.

Babette could not help but laugh inwardly at the thought, however. If she still had any doubts of Lumière's fatherhood before, they would have vanished that night. He had been patient and a gentleman, awaiting their evening together; it was still their anniversary, after all. Any other man would have found an excuse to ignore Lina's pleas, but his first concern was to their daughter. For that, she loved him even more.

"Can't sleep?"

Lumière's whisper interrupted her thoughts, and Babette looked at him, nodding silently. Slowly and carefully, he slid off the bed, and gestured her to follow him. As she did, she covered the blankets over Lina more snuggly, placing a gentle kiss to her cheek, then took his hand as he led her to the adjoining room where the girl usually slept. The door was left open to make their presence known; she would not take any chances.

As actions often speak louder than words, Babette wholly accepted the embrace Lumière offered. His arms…he was not the strongest man alive, but she always felt safe and loved when he held her.

Sobs escaping from deep in her throat, she mumbled as she nuzzled into his throat. "I'm frightened…tell me this was all a nightmare."

As he softly stroked her hair, loosening a few locks from her usual nightly braid, Lumière swayed a little, soothingly rocking her. "Shh, do not cry; it will not change what happened."

"I have never hated anyone in my life, until now; I will never forgive him for this."

"I know," he crooned. "But…I think one thing is for sure. Lina may be young, but she is starting to take care of herself…"

Babette pulled back to look at him. "You saw it too, when she burned him."

He nodded. "The question is why would she be able to do that? I do not understand…"

"No," Babette argued. "The real question is what do we tell her when she starts to ask us the same thing? You know Lina. If she were not so horrified this evening, she would have started asking already. Come tomorrow morning, the interrogations will be endless. But Belle and I discussed the matter, and agreed that we would never tell the children about the spell, at least not until they were older if we must. We were prepared to say it was a legend, a myth if they ever caught wind of it sooner. She will never believe that now."

Lumière shook his head, moving away to sit down in a chair close to Lina's tiny bed. Not since the spell had he felt so helpless, a feeling he despised with a mighty passion. "I wish I knew what to say…"

Babette seated herself on his lap so he could rest his head on her shoulder comfortably. Holding him close, it was her turn to be the consolation for him. "Do not trouble yourself, amour; we can not answer a question we do not understand."

"So you are saying we stall until we hopefully get our answer, which could be never?"

"If this was the enchantress' sorcery, it must be important; I doubt it will be long before we have our answer. In the meantime…we distract her; we have no other choice."

Lumière sighed frustrated, but nodded. "Stalling it is…but I do not have to like it."

Babette kissed his forehead affectionately. "I never said you did."

Having already been in place, he leaned up a bit to return the kiss at her cheek. "Je t'aime." _("I love you.")_

She smiled, trying to make him do the same. "Je sais." _("I know.")_

She had succeeded, for he grinned adorably.

"Not tonight," he said. "But tomorrow, I will hold you to that."

"Please do."

Only Lina's timid call could interrupt them then, as it occasionally did.

"Maman? Where are you?"

Babette, Lumière in tow, immediately returned to her side as he lit a candle to give them some light. "I'm here, ma petite, right here. I won't leave again, I promise."

Lina snuggled tightly into her mother's arms, already closing her eyes again. "Good! I was scared…"

"Don't be, my precious." Babette kissed her cheek softly. "I'm staying right here."

Lina yawned tiredly before she reached over and doused the candle's flame, as Lumière could, with her bare fingers, no sign of a burn. "Ok…good night…"

Both parents shared one more worried glance. It was clear, with all the explanations they had to think of, sleep was not in their favor tonight.


	4. Chapter Four

_Chapter Four_

Security: nothing in Lina's mind defined that word more effectively than the comfort of her room. Over the next few days, no one in the castle could find her anywhere else. Every so often, under the watchful eye of her parents, she would leave it momentarily to get something to eat, but afterwards she returned there, running as fast as her small feet could carry her, without a word to anyone.

That single fact, however, made it easier for Babette to find her. Staying silent, she watched the girl sitting at her window, gazing out at the lightly falling snow, a blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders. Quietly, she walked further into the room, stopping only when Lina turned with a frightened gasp.

"It's only me," Babette whispered with a smile, sitting beside her and readily taking her into a protective embrace as Lina climbed into her lap. "Why aren't you in bed?" No reply, but she tried again. "Think you want to go out and play in the snow tomorrow? Alexandre is already asking me if you will."

"No."

Her smile grew. "Well, well, she speaks at last."

Lina looked up at her, not amused. "I'm _not_ going outside or any place! Never ever again!" And with that she jumped from her lap, the blanket dragging like a cloak behind her, and climbed into bed pulling the cover over her.

Babette sighed as she followed and knelt next to where her head would be. "Lina…you can not stay up here forever."

"Who says?" came the muffled reply.

"I do."

Half a head with two eyes peeked out from below the blanket. "I don't care."

"Oh don't you?"

Finally, a whole face appeared as the child sat up. "He will get me if I do."

Babette looked down for a moment to hide any emotion, but her voice barely remained steady as she spoke. "No…no he won't."

Lina was not convinced. "Yes he will. He'll get me and I won't see you anymore."

Ordering her to scoot over a bit, Babette sat beside her, staring straight into her eyes. "He will never come back here again. There are a lot more guards in the castle now; he can't come back if he wanted to."

Lina's eyes shined with tears as she crawled into her mother's lap, seeking comfort and safety. "I don't want him to come back."

"I know, ma petite, I know." Babette swallowed her own tears, trying desperately to be the strong one of the pair. "But he won't. Besides," she paused to offer a reassuring smile, "He will be too afraid to even think of coming after you! He was really scared of what you did at the party, remember?" Much as they wanted to keep it from Lina's curious mind, her newfound defense seemed the only way to calm her at the moment.

Lina wiped her sleeve across her nose with a sniff and a small smile. "Yeah, I scared him a lot!"

"Yes you did!" Babette laughed.

A childishly thoughtful expression crossed Lina's face. "Then I don't have to hide? He has to?"

"That's right," Babette smiled, touching her forehead to hers. "You have nothing to be afraid of."

Lina smiled playfully, holding up her hands and wriggling her fingers. "I'll get him right back if he tries!"

Babette laughed, picking her up and twirling her about. "He'll run away like a big baby!" As soon as they were both properly dizzy in result, she placed her once more into the comfort of her bed. "But for now, to bed!" She tucked her in, leaving a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Bonne nuit, petite; je t'aime."

Lina smiled, yawning tiredly. "Je t'aime, Maman."

Babette watched, as she made certain she was fast asleep before moving to check the windows. Tightly locked, she confirmed with a nod before locking the door adjoining the rooms. Without Lumière or herself in the other, there was no reason for it to be unlocked.

Only when she felt it safe did she move downstairs, but as she did, the door shook as a loud knock resounded throughout the front hall. With no one else around, she warily moved to answer it, but nothing prepared her to find the familiar old face of a woman on the other side.

"Fondest greetings," the visitor cackled before standing up tall, changing into her younger self. "I've come to request an audience with everyone; surely your master will not have any qualms about my visit this time."

* * *

A light beneath the door, Jean-Claude noticed, as he stealthily made his way closer to it. Kneeling sheltered between an end table and the doorframe, he listened intently.

"Those men go through all the trouble of getting you out of that disgusting hole, you come so close to beginning your revenge by killing that little love child, and then you come back here with your tail between your legs, saying you won't go back?!"

No question of identity there; Adele's shrill voice could break glass when she argued.

"Will you let me finish?" Jean-Claude scowled in disgust at hearing his master's voice once again. "Christ, Adele, you are going to kill yourself jumping to conclusions one day."

"I just can not believe that you are frightened of a little girl!"

"I did not say that!" Jacques shouted angrily. "The time was not right."

"The time was perfect! You could have done away with her then and there!"

Inside the room, unknown to Jean-Claude, Jacques raised his hand, scorched thoroughly from the tips of his fingers to the base of his wrist. "Do you see this? First the father, and then the daughter, although I have yet to figure out how the latter did what she did. This was only my hand; did you want her to finish off the rest of me?"

"She is only a child!"

"A child who is more self-sufficient than I thought. It was not as simple as grabbing her by the collar and slitting her pathetic little throat!"

"So what do we do? Eventually they will realize that you are here, and come after you. You should have just killed them all that night."

"Do you think I don't know that?! Do you think me so completely stupid to not realize that Vincent and his lot of moronic hired hands will hunt me down? Believe me, that bit of knowledge is the only thing keeping me from revenge! I am outnumbered; they have the upper hand! At this rate, it can take years before I can try again!"

There was a pause then; Adele must have silently admitted to defeat. Listening outside the door, Jean-Claude stood quietly, ready to retreat to his room for the night; this was enough to comfort Babette at present. But as he began treading slowly towards the servants' quarters, another man, the one who had constantly visited Adele before Jacques' escape, stopped him.

"What do you think you are doing?"

Jean-Claude tried not to panic. He was not a coward, but at present, nothing was in his favor. "Nothing, monsieur…sleep walking you might say."

"I might just say it," Arnaud nodded. "That is, if I were to believe it."

One snap of his fingers brought two of his men to struggle Jean-Claude into a helpless hold. The man fought with all his might, but they were certainly much stronger than he. Within a few seconds, he ceased his efforts in exhaustion, allowing them to follow Arnaud into the room.

"Found this lout skulking about the hallway," Arnaud explained as the men brought Jean-Claude forward. "He was rather interested in your conversation."

Jacques walked closer, slowly placing a glove over his scarred hand before using it to lift Jean-Claude's face by the chin. "Really? I trust what you heard was to your satisfaction then?" The servant did not respond, and Jacques laughed amused. "A wise choice, mon ami, to stay silent; you have already dug your grave deep enough with eavesdropping."

Jean-Claude had never been disobedient in his life, but rank meant nothing now. He did not see an aristocrat, a man his own family had served for generations; all he saw was the very face of evil.

"I wish you a lifetime in hell for all you have done," he growled. "Especially to her…"

Jacques only laughed harder. "I remember you now. You were Babette's friend when she served here, looked after her like a overbearing watch dog." He smirked. "Rather pointless, I think, as you never could 'protect' her, could you?"

Jean-Claude snarled angrily, "I could not…not after you had me beaten for trying while you ravaged her any chance you got!"

Jacques ignored him. "And now, from what I can conclude, you attempt to redeem yourself for those times? Informing her of every move we make?" Again, Jean-Claude was silent, and Jacques' vicious grin grew in satisfaction. "Your silence is golden, you fool. You have just pleaded guilty to treason, and in my book, the penalty…is immediate death. Do you have anything to say to that?"

Jean-Claude swallowed hard. "What point is there in asking such a question? You would not care if I did."

Jacques nodded. "Quite true." He turned to Arnaud and his men. "Take this disloyal spy outside…and kill him."

The three men did as they were told, but Jean-Claude refused to go down without one last fight. Once they were in the hallway, he thrashed and fought against his captors, determined to cause the most intolerable commotion. The noise brought everyone there, including Etienne. Small as he was, the boy ran to his father's aid, attempting to beat the larger men to free him, but it was useless. Jacques easily tore him away by the scruff of his nightshirt, dragging him right along outside, leaving Adele to order everyone back to bed.

Etienne kicked and screamed as much as he could. "Let him go! Let _him go_!"

Jacques gripped his throat forcing the boy to watch the scene before him. "Let this be a lesson to you, whelp, of what treason will bring you," he growled. "I suggest you learn it quickly, and not make the same mistakes your father did. Now…say goodbye."

A few moments later, a pistol shot was heard in the darkness, the last sound Etienne would hear regarding his father.

* * *

"We are most honored to see you again, my lady," Vincent offered as he, Belle, and the staff had gathered in the den at the enchantress' unexpected visit. "But why have you come?"

The mysterious woman spoke, her voice echoing gently. "My power, your highness, has always had one purpose: to aid the good of humanity and shield those in need from the horrors of the world. I saved you once, from one of the most dangerous evils, that in your own heart, and I return to offer my protection again."

The prince nodded. "Do continue."

"Your household is in danger," she said. "I sense in the future that the last de Crochet son will attempt to take his revenge again."

"But when?" Lumière questioned across the room.

The enchantress turned to him. "That I can not say." She paused for a moment, suddenly meditating, and cringed as though in pain. "He has already begun tonight. I hear the cries of a boy…the sound of a pistol..." She closed her eyes, concentrating her focus deeply on what she felt. When she opened them again, everyone saw despair and sadness. "He has discovered a traitor in his midst, an innocent man, a friend who has helped you. As punishment…the man has been executed."

"Jean-Claude," Babette gasped in realization, and Lumière held her close as she cried. "No…he couldn't…"

A moment of silence hung in the air as everyone respectively acknowledged the loss. After such a time, Vincent looked to the enchantress once again. "What can you do to stop him?"

"Alas I can not," she answered. "All of you should understand. A man's will is his own; only he can make the choice to change his ways. I am bound by this knowledge, and hence cannot stop him and his actions. All I can offer is a spell to protect you when the time comes."

"Pray, my lady, go on."

The enchantress looked to each one of them as she spoke. "Years ago, all of you looked nothing like you do now. I cast a spell that turned the young prince into a monster, and the rest into meager household objects. That spell may be the only thing that can save you now."

All of them protested, Cogsworth being the first to speak. "You are saying that we have to go through that terrible mess all over again until he decides to attack?"

"Let me finish," she said with a smile. "No, I will not cast the spell again, but I can grant you the abilities to use it for your own good. When you need to, any of you can become what you were, and then become human again a moment later. No one will suspect a clock or candelabra to actually be a person, giving you time to blend in until you can strike back."

"But what of Belle and the children?" Vincent asked. "The spell did not affect them."

"I will come for them when the day arrives," the enchantress reassured him. "They will be safe, I give you my word." She turned once more to the entire assembly. "I leave the decision in your hands; what shall it be?"

Everyone glanced at one another, uncertainty obvious in their eyes, but what other choice was there? As each nodded their affirmative to Vincent, he turned to her once more.

"Do what you must, my lady; we are ready."


	5. Chapter Five

_A/N: Before the story continues, I just want to thank TrudiRose for all her WONDERFUL patience :-) This chapter is the single one that has gone through the most revision of all my stories until it met satisfaction, and I owe all the wonderful advice and opinions to make it rock to Trudi! Thanks a million! Enjoy! :-)_

_Chapter Five_

Sunrise strummed its brightest chord precisely at the earliest hour it dared when the spring ruled the countryside. It was right on schedule, just as it had been for the past eleven years and before. Lazily, as the light touched her eyes, Lina groaned as she reached for her pillow, but bolted awake as she only felt straw. Sitting up slowly, the girl rubbed her eyes and tried to collect her thoughts…

Girl, indeed; she was hardly a girl anymore, she thought with a smirk. A mere week before she had finally reached the ripe old age of sixteen. At last, she was a woman of the world! Life was good…

If she could figure out what she was doing in the stable lofts, it would have been better, but the sounds of the stable hands put her memory into place quickly. Peering over the edge of the loft, remembering the previous night, she watched her current beau, René, and the others with a smile, reminding herself to return his coat when she decided to climb down.

As she quickly brushed the straw from her hair and skirts, Lina could not lose the grin that dwindled about her lips, thinking of how many horrendously displeased looks she would get if anyone knew she was there. If she had to hear one more "be a good girl" speech from anyone, she would go mad. It had to have been recited constantly, daily even, since she was thirteen. "Love is only given to the man you will marry…" et cetera and so forth.

Lina shook her head with a knowing smile. Let everyone believe what they would; she knew better than most gave her credit for. No, she had never gone as far as…_that_, but she was determined to enjoy life a bit. After all, leaving them wanting more was the whole point.

A whistle from the ground below drew her back to the loft's edge as René called, "All clear!"

Making her way to the ladder in haste, quite literally sliding instead of climbing down, Lina turned the coat once again into the hands of its owner. "I think this belongs to you."

"It looks familiar," René smiled, leaning in close, but stopping meager inches from a kiss as her finger halted his lips.

"Hold that thought," Lina replied, promise hidden within her words. "You know how they are if I am not within walking distance of my room in the morning."

"But you know how they will be if any man is within walking distance of you any time," he argued, attempting his actions again.

She still refused him. "And that would be tenfold if Maman tells Papa to come out here and find me."

René sighed. "Touché; as always, you win."

"I know, it's my job," Lina laughed, taking his hand and dragging him along as they made their way to the massive front doors of the palace. Crossing herself subtly and muttering a two second prayer of hope, she pulled on the door…it opened with a loud creak.

Praise the Lord for Chip being in charge of them! Cogsworth had requested that he be next in line as head of the household as soon as retirement was necessary. The request was gladly approved, and the young man began apprenticing immediately. Hence, he was forced out of bed as early as Cogsworth was every day, and his first duty was to unlock the doors promptly at dawn. Lina was constantly indebted to him for that alone.

Inside, the front hall was thankfully still on the dark, quiet side; it would not be busy until cleaning time in another few hours. After both were certain they were alone, Lina allowed René to accept his kiss.

"You will be there…at the tavern tonight?" he asked in-between. "You will not forget?"

"Of course not," she breathed. "You know nothing will keep me away…"

"Almost nothing," he laughed. "We will miss you if they decide to lock you up and throw away the key."

Lina smiled and drew him close. "I would still find a way to escape…"

As the kiss resumed, René dared to let his hands travel her back and his lips to wander, allowing her a glance over his shoulder. Fortunately for him, or unfortunately, Lina could not decide. She froze, stiff as a board, as she saw a candelabra on a nearby table lit…waiting for her...

"What is it?" he asked, almost apologetic as he turned to follow her gaze, her eyes haunted with the look of death. His own grew wide with fear in result, and with only a whispered farewell, René bolted for the door, anxious to return to the safety of the stables as quickly as he could.

Waiting until the door was closed, Lina turned a scowl on the helpless candelabra, storming towards where it sat on the table. She reached for the flames, gathered them in her bare hands, and doused them in her fists.

"Are you happy now? You did what you came to do," she growled. Nothing happened, as would be expected when talking to an inanimate object. It took all her strength not to shout, thus her words came in a hiss instead. "Do not play games! Show yourself!"

"It could have been worse; that could have actually been your father."

Lina immediately turned around to see her mother seated on the stairs, and frowned, blushing slightly. "You did this? I look like a complete idiot because of a prank?"

Babette did not show any regret. "Yes, I did, and no you do not. Looking like an idiot would require someone else to see you be one."

Lina folded her arms angrily. "I know what you are thinking…"

"No you don't," Babette interrupted.

"Yes I do! I know what everyone thinks of me, and they are wrong!"

Babette scowled at her. "I am not dragging you to your room by the ear, only because I doubt your father would want to know about this. Do not make me think twice about my decision. Now please, come sit down; we have to talk."

"Which speech is it going to be this time?" Lina groaned as she moved to take her usual place of judgment beside her mother.

"Whatever one it takes for your conscience to help you think straight."

Lina rolled her eyes and nodded decisively. "The usual."

"Chandellina…"

Lina took a deep breath before she spoke again. "I know what everyone thinks I am. I see the looks, I hear the whispers, but I do not care. I know I am not doing anything wrong; isn't that what matters?"

Babette sighed, pulling her close. "Yes, and no. I know what you mean…"

"You always say that," Lina interrupted. "You could not possibly have any idea what I am talking about"

Babette took her hand. "Come with me."

Lina reluctantly followed her. There was a small sitting room in the servants' wing, far enough from the bedrooms for a decently private conversation. As Babette sat down, Lina sat beside her feet on the floor, resting her head on her lap comfortably.

Babette smiled, stroking her hair gently. "You have not sat like that in such a long time. Not since you were little…"

"Some things you never grow too old for."

"So true." She paused, leaning back against her chair. "Feels nice, doesn't it?"

"What does?"

"When a man holds you like that?"

_And we're off! _Lina thought as she rolled her eyes. "I refuse to answer that."

"Why?"

"Because I know my answer will be held against me."

"I swear, this is between you and me."

Lina sighed, still hesitant on honesty. "It is incredible."

Babette nodded. "It feels like nothing else in the world when a man adores you like that. But, if you are not more cautious…"

"Then you will regret it in the end, I _know_," Lina finished impatiently.

Babette sighed. "You are not listening."

"I've heard this before!"

"This time try comprehending what I say!" Babette took her shoulders, forcing her up to look her directly in the eyes. "I have tried to tell you over and over, and right now I want you to not just hear but actually _listen_. You are playing a very dangerous game, heading straight towards a road that I know you are not ready to take."

"But I am not doing anything that can hurt me! It is harmless flirtation."

"What I saw was not harmless, Lina; would you have been so afraid when you saw that candle burning if it was? You know that boy as little as you knew any of the others I have caught you with. Do you know if you can trust him if you do take things further?"

"It will not go as far as that," Lina groaned angrily.

Babette shook her head. "That is not always possible. After a certain point, there is no turning back! Even if you want to stop, you can not guarantee that he will!"

Lina sighed; this was everything she had heard before. "I said it then, and I will say it now. You really do not understand."

"If I did not, would your father and I try so hard to talk common sense into you?"

"If you _did_ understand, you would leave _my_ life in _my _hands!"

Babette sat down again to breathe calmly, her frustration mounting quickly. "Lina, sit down."

"Maman, really…"

"Sit. Down," Babette ordered with such authority, the girl obeyed on instinct alone. "There is only one way to make you realize that I do understand, and I want you to _listen_ this time. I prayed that I would never have to tell you this, but you really leave me with no choice."

Lina had never in her life heard her mother's tone grow so quiet and serious, and quite frankly, it frightened her deeply.

"I am beyond grateful that you did not know me when I was your age. I was exactly like you. I had the same needs and desires, flaunted what I felt I had been blessed with. I was taught 'let them see, but not touch' just like every other girl, and completely ignored it. I allowed men to enjoy themselves when I stole precious seconds alone with them, but held my virtue in tact. For the longest time, it seemed a perfect way of life, but all it took was one man to not stop when I asked him to change it around."

"Not Papa…?" Lina asked, concerned.

"No, not Papa. But after that, I kept my distance from all men, until I met your father." Babette smiled a little, absent-mindedly. "He was so alike, yet so different from a typical man. He could sweet talk and romance any woman he wanted, but he respected them. Mon Dieu, I wanted to hate him like the rest, but I could not. After refusing him countless times, I surrendered to his charms, and became my old self again. By that time, the enchantment was placed on the castle, I told you about that, but those few years brought us closer together. When it was over, we were inseparable. We never left each other's side…literally never…and one night…"

She did not even have to finish the sentence. "Before you were married?" Lina asked, curiously shocked.

Babette nodded. "We did not think about anyone but ourselves…"

"You were in love; that is understandable."

"But we should have," Babette tried to swallow her nerves. "I became very ill some time after that, I can not remember how long, but when a doctor was sent for, he told me…I was not ill per se…"

When she paused, it took Lina a moment to realize what she meant. "You…were expecting." There was another moment of silence. "Then I was the only reason Papa married you?"

"No, not at all. He was thrilled when he found out I was going to have you, and wanted nothing but the best for the both of us."

"But if you were not, he would not have proposed."

"Lina, that is not true," Babette enforced. "If that were the only reason, you would know it, trust me. My parents were unwed when my mother found out that she had conceived me, and my father abandoned her when she told him. He could be alive today and I would not know him. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to have a decent, honorable man who cared enough about you and I to not only keep us from shame, but to love us more than his own life." She took a deep breath. "That is why I can not stop warning you to change your ways before it is too late. Give your love to the man you know will be there for you. Make a respectable reputation for yourself, and find a man like your father. That is not so much to ask."

While Babette could see in her daughter's eyes that she had struck a chord, it was not enough. After a moment to collect her thoughts, Lina replied, "I am still meeting René tonight."

Babette closed her eyes in disgust, and stood prepared to leave. "I wish I knew what happened to the daughter I raised, but as you tell me, your life belongs in your hands. You want to believe that nothing can happen to you? You want to shrug your life away? Fine, so be it. But mark my words, little girl…you have no idea of what a mistake you have made with such choices. You may not care what others think of you, but you forget, what they think determines how they respect you. Without respect, you will be lost. No one will befriend you, no reputable man will give you a second glance!" With no response this time, she concluded darkly, "I dare not tell your father. He does not deserve to hear what the child he has given everything for is letting herself become."


	6. Chapter Six

_Chapter Six_

When night descended on the Chateau Mountains, the sound of a pin dropping would equal such noise levels as that of earthquake destruction. All the bustling about to carry on one's duties instantaneously ceased as the hours grew late, and the silence was constantly an obstacle Lina had to avoid breaking. One hint of movement brought guards out from nooks that no one even knew existed.

Opening her eyes as the clock struck midnight, Lina slowly sat up in bed. _"Palmus bursto flamus," _she whispered, and with a snap, her pointer finger lit a gentle flame, as if it were a match, to help her see in the darkness.

Silently, she crept out of bed and moved to her dresser, gathering the appropriate—or rather inappropriate—attire to change in to. Blowing out the flame, she gently pulled back the curtain at her tiny window, and moved to dress behind a small partition, using the light of the full moon to see what she was doing. Finally, with her shoes under her arm (walking barefoot always proved to be the quietest way to escape), she made her way to the hall clicking the door shut behind her.

Instinctively nervous, as expected when one tries to not be caught, Lina startled as she heard a disturbingly loud sound, identifying it as her father's snoring once she recovered her thoughts. She looked at her parents' door and rolled her eyes; it was slightly open, typical! As if that could stop her! No matter, she shrugged. Few things could wake Lumière or Babette once they fell into a deep sleep. They would not move a muscle if a heavy storm was thundering outside, she thought with a smirk, continuing to and out the door.

If only she had waited a few moments longer…

Inside their room, Babette drowsily opened her eyes, surprisingly having to only blink once before her mind fully began to function again.

"Lina," she murmured to herself as she rose, running to the adjoining door. Glancing inside, she scolded herself for actually believing that the girl would be sound asleep in bed. Prayers were useless against free will.

Upon returning to her own room, Babette shook Lumière with all her might without hesitation. "Wake up," she ordered. The only response came in the form of a disrupted snore and Lumière, groggily perturbed, pulling the blankets over his head. "Wake up _now_! It's urgent!"

"Not tonight…" the blankets protested sleepily. "Too…tired…"

"Mon Dieu," Babette growled, adding a few choice words as she walked around to her side of the bed. Aiming carefully, she forcefully shoved him out of it, and from a tangled heap on the floor, Lumière rubbed his head painfully.

"What was that for?" he groaned, tiredly getting to his feet.

"Perhaps next time I tell you to wake up, you will," Babette replied.

Lumière moved to sit down, wincing as the pain distributed evenly along his backside. "Please tell me—ow!—you have a good reason for this."

"Lina is not in her room; she left to meet with that stable boy, René." As his face transfigured into a scowl, she added, "That is hopefully good enough."

Lumière sighed angrily, painfully standing again to change. "This is your fault, you know."

"What do you mean it's _my_ fault?" Babette hissed indignantly. "I did everything I can to stop her from going, no thanks to you!"

"She did not inherit the tavern hopping trait from me," he replied, putting on his coat; the nights brought a chill to the air even in the spring. "This is the millionth time I have had to risk my neck at one of those holes since following _you_ that one night years ago."

Babette glared at him. "Very well, if you say so; just bring her home." She paused as he ignored her, and walked to the door sluggishly. "Lumière?" He turned. "You said 'not tonight'? Make that 'not tomorrow' as well."

* * *

Lina cringed as she took a swig of her drink; why had she not noticed how horrible it tasted? At her throat, René took his time in savoring her scent, and she grinned dreamily. There was her reason.

"Glad you came?" he whispered.

She kissed him sweetly. "How could I not be?"

"I don't know," he said, tugging her closer onto his lap. Brushing her lazily draped hair away from her ear, he nipped the tender place hungrily. "You seemed…distracted before; if you are going to be distracted, I would rather it be because of me."

Lina held her mug out as a young serving girl brought a pitcher to refill it, her second, or third that night; she had lost count already. Nonetheless, she downed the entire thing quickly. Forget the taste, she desperately prayed it would go to work in draining her of any sense. Babette's words had been haunting her all night, and René began to sense her nerves. Not a good thing.

But then again, neither was drinking it that fast, and she gasped as she fell under a coughing fit.

"Easy there," René laughed as he put down his own drink. "You have never drank…drunk—or whatever—heavily before."

Lina took a deep breath, laughing as she did. "First time for everything."

He grinned, murmuring, "Everything?"

She dazedly smirked. "Perhaps."

Clumsily, René gathered her in his arms, and she shrieked giggly as he carried her to a dimly lit corner. He slowly sat her on the floor where she rested seductively against the wall, luring him to her. He lingered above her, and with a single kiss, disintegrated every ounce of rhyme and reason she had left.

As he journeyed his lips to her neck, Lina took a glimpse around the room. No one she knew anywhere in sight; good, no witnesses her parents, especially Lumière, could bully an explanation from.

But there was someone watching her, a young man across the room. He could not have been much more older than she, handsome even, but nonetheless, she gave him a death glare for daring to watch. He showed no shame, however, and did not turn away. She raised an angry eyebrow, threatening him silently; still, he continued.

Not feeling any response from her, René stopped. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Lina answered, offering a weak smile. René glanced at their impertinent spectator, sending a menacing frown his way, but Lina pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Leave him be; he is obviously jealous," she simpered sweetly. "Wishing for the best, but that belongs to you."

"This is not a free display," he growled, pulling her painfully close.

"I know, I know," she soothed over a wince. "Please, no trouble; I am here with you, not him."

René looked at her, lust once more building in his eyes. "Merci le Dieu…" he breathed, continuing their kiss passionately.

Lina moaned deeply. How something that felt so wonderful could be wrong, she did not understand. Kisses, caresses, his strong arms holding her close, it was incredible. The temptation to elope that very night filled every inch of her body; if all it took was marriage to make the next step legitimate, she was in high favor of it.

That is, until she felt his hand slip beneath her skirts. Immediately, Lina latched onto his wrist.

"Wait," she gasped. "Don't…"

René glanced up from the neckline of her dress. "What?"

"I told you…not yet. You know how I feel about that."

He laughed, trying to continue. "But we know the truth don't we?"

Lina slapped his hand to make him pull it away before doing so herself. "I mean it."

René took an irritated breath. "Another man looks at you, and it is over?"

"That is not what I said."

He grasped her shoulders so roughly that she could not suppress a cry of pain. "But you are thinking it, aren't you? That is how it was with François before me, remember?"

"At least he listened when I told him to stop!" she snarled, receiving a harsh backhanded slap for her words. Touching her throbbing cheek, she looked at him fearfully. "What is wrong with you?"

He clutched her face in his hands, not stopping when she fought him. "Teasing is not a game; if you think it is, be willing to accept what it leads to."

He kissed her aggressively, as if trying to prove his male dominance, but shrieked like a baby when he felt a burning force where Lina's hands struggled to get away. "Why you little…!"

The man across the room jumped from his seat as René raised his fist to her. Grabbing the brute by the collar, he picked him up and threw him back into a table. The entire room fell silent.

"What part of 'no' do you not understand?" he asked.

René shook his head to gain his bearings. "I could say the same about you and minding your own business!"

The young man nodded. "Just as I thought, nothing at all. It would be pointless to ask the same about 'respect'; you made that answer rather obvious before."

René moved in on his opponent, standing a good foot taller than him, and hence jostling his balance as he shoved him brutally. "Would you like to shut your smart mouth before you lose it?"

Lina stood, assuming the role of peacemaker. "René don't!"

The stranger only retaliated, verbally and physically. "The girl seems worth it; pity she can not tell a mule from a man."

That was all it took for a brawl to break loose. All around the room, everything from screams to cheers followed as the two men fought with all their might. At the bar, a few spectators reached into their pockets and announced their choice on the victor as bets were gathered.

Their fun was ruined, however, mere seconds later.

"That's enough!"

Lina watched in horror as Lumière moved in on the contender, struggling to keep them apart. As it died down, he shouted, "Nothing more to see! Get back to your own business!" Forcefully, he dragged René by the throat back to the corner, thrusting him into the wall. "Are you sober enough to listen to me?" he asked.

René clenched his jaw tightly. "Oui, monsieur."

"Good." Lumière saw Lina's red cheek, his fury racing to a boiling point. Examining René's wrists where he found the familiar mark of Lina's power, he snarled, "Then understand that you will never give my daughter a second glance ever again. God help me if I catch you even thinking about her! If you dare to speak to her, touch her, or slander her name in any way, the prince himself will have to get in line to have you executed, _do _I make myself perfectly clear!"

René did not answer at first, but when Lumière pounded him one more time into the wall and tightened his grip at the boy's throat, he gasped, "Yes…yes you have!"

"Very well," Lumière said, releasing him. "Then for your own good, I suggest you find your horse, start on your way home, and enjoy sleeping peacefully while you can. We _will_ continue this in the morning, and when I am through with you…let's just say you will never sleep with your eyes closed again! Get going!"

When René was gone, Lumière turned to the other young man, who had sat down when his injuries made it too difficult for him to stand. "I trust that little tiff was over my daughter, oui?"

"It was, monsieur," he replied. "I was raised a gentleman, and taught to defend mankind as well as myself."

"You were taught well." Lumière frowned at Lina. "I just wish she deserved it."

"No one deserves what he tried to do."

Lumière nodded, "Well said. Do you live far from here? You are more than welcome to come home with us until you have healed if you do."

The man laughed, almost bitterly. "I can not accept such a generous offer. I serve a…strict family, and will have to face more than this if I do not return by morning."

Lina spoke up then. "Surely they would understand, considering what happened. I would pen the explanation myself."

"I appreciate it, mademoiselle, but non, I can not accept your invitation."

"As you wish," Lumière replied, hushing Lina with a look. "Then at least allow us to offer our thanks and apologies for everything you have done."

The man smiled weakly, rising to his feet painfully. "It was…no trouble." He tried to walk, limping as he did, and raised his hands in protest as Lumière and Lina moved to assist him. "Monsieur, mademoiselle…please, do not help me. I will be fine, I swear." Gently, he sat down again. "Maybe I will sit just a bit longer…but I will be all right."

Lumière nodded, guiding Lina by the shoulder as he led her outside. When they mounted their horses, he reached for the reins of her mare's bridle and tied it tightly to that of his own horse, taking every precaution to prevent her riding off.

Upon reaching the woods, Lina bit her lip, glancing down at the saddle horn as she held on tightly. Lumière was never silent with her. Even in anger, he always attempted to jest his way out of the tension, but now, he kept his eyes on the road ahead, ignoring her presence as if she did not exist.

"Maman was right about René," Lina murmured, forcing a grin. When she did not receive a response, she continued a little louder. "Don't you hate it when she is?"

Abruptly, Lumière halted the horses, jumping down to pace along the bank of the stream. Lina closed her eyes tightly, refusing to cry. Dismounting, she stroked both horses on the snout, leading them to drink as she followed her father.

"Papa?" she whispered. "Papa, please talk to me."

"I doubt you want to hear what I have to say," Lumière snapped, startling her. "You obviously did not listen to anything your mother said this morning; what makes my words any different?"

"She told you about our talk?"

"She did not have to."

Lina frowned in confusion. "But…how would you know…?"

Lumière finally turned to her. "Your mother is very talented at covering for me, you know that."

Lina's eyes went wide as she did not question, but stated, "Then…that was you on the table." He nodded, and she held herself tightly. "I did listen to her, Papa, really. I just…did not believe anything bad would happen."

Lumière sighed, holding her close, protectively. No matter how angry he was with either his wife or his daughter, it never lasted long. "Lina, listen to me. You are not invisible; everyone can see what an attractive woman you are growing up to be. You have your mother's beauty, which is both a blessing and a danger, and we have told you before. You have to be much more careful when it comes to flaunting it."

Lina nodded, for once not annoyed to hear the familiar warning. "I promise, I will…honest."

"I am holding you to that," he replied.

She pouted slightly. "Then you forgive me?"

Lumière smiled, laughing gently. "You really are just like your mother."

"That does not answer my question."

"Because it does not need an answer. You are, and always will be, my little girl, and I love you. With that love comes forgiveness."

"Bon, you do not hate me then."

"Never."

Lina grinned, hugging him tightly before they returned to the horses. As a gentle wind blew out the lantern he had brought with him, Lumière groaned.

"Wonderful," he said sarcastically. "Give me a second, candelabra to the rescue…"

"Oh stop complaining and do not worry!" she laughed, murmuring her chant and relighting the lantern with her finger. At his stunned expression, she smiled. "I've been perfecting it."

Lumière put his hand over his heart, wiping mock tears from his eyes. "I have never been more proud!"

Lina rolled her eyes with a smirk as they remounted the horses. "Papa, let's go home."

* * *

The young man waited at the tavern a good hour longer before he found enough strength to walk outside. The bartender thankfully had been a good friend of his father, and never turned him away as quickly as he did the other patrons.

When he reached his horse, however, he could barely blink before he found himself knocked to the ground once again.

"The last I remember, Etienne, I had told you never to show your face outside the manor walls. You know I can not run about at night looking for you."

He looked up, swallowing back the pain he refused to express. "I am a servant, Monseigneur de Crochet, not a prisoner."

Jacques lowered the hood of his cloak as he leaned down to examine the boy. "You were in another fight."

"Oui, monseigneur," Etienne answered. "There was a girl…she was going to be beaten if I did nothing."

"You pathetic little fool, thinking with your manhood instead of your mind!" Jacques scoffed as he rose. "I swear you will save me the trouble of killing you one day simply by doing the deed yourself."

Etienne could not hold back a look of disdain as he stood. "At least then I will see my father again."

"Watch your tongue, boy," the older man sneered. "You forget that your very life belongs to me, and I can do with it as I please. I chose to let you keep it that night; do not make me regret it."

Etienne lowered his eyes. "Forgive me, monseigneur; I am not thinking clearly."

Jacques paused before he nodded and mounted his stallion. "Fighting for a woman can do that to you. You should have known better, but nonetheless, you are forgiven."

"I guess I should have," Etienne continued, untying his horse. "She could have fought the good fight herself. I do not know what she did to the ass, but he had these awful burns on his wrists…"

"Burns?" Jacques asked, suddenly intense with curiosity.

"Oui, monseigneur," he responded. "There were no candles anywhere nearby but yet, there they were after her father nearly beat the man to a pulp."

Jacques rubbed his gloved hand. "You did not catch her name did you?"

"No," Etienne answered, climbing onto his horse. "Why? Do you know her?"

Jacques shook his head as he kicked his horse to move, the younger man following behind. "Do you think you would be able to find out where this girl lives?"

Etienne furrowed his brow in confusion and caution. He never trusted this man, not since he had his father killed, and the fact he was asking so many questions made him uneasy. "I…doubt it."

Jacques glanced at him, trying to determine if he was telling the truth, but Etienne turned away. "I see, I would have at least thought you smart enough to find out. They must be worrying about how you are faring, but never mind, we must get home. Injured or not, I will inform my sister that you are to be awake at dawn as you will have quite a list of tasks to complete for your disobedience."

Etienne moaned inwardly, but replied, "Oui, monseigneur." He would find that girl on his own, eventually, but for now, he was anxious to get all the sleep he could.


	7. Chapter Seven

_Chapter Seven_

"Hello? Anyone home in there?"

Etienne heard the cook's voice, but blatantly ignored her as he continued deep in his thoughts. Unfortunately, his choice earned him a smack upside his head with a wooden spoon.

"Ow!" he cried, looking for anything cold to numb the pain. Madame la Monge may have been a kind old lady when she wanted to be, but once she had that spoon in hand, she could do in an entire army. Thankfully, he found a bit of ice, wrapped it, and placed it comfortably on what he was certain was the beginning of a bruise. "You are going to kill me one of these days."

"You deserve it," la Monge scolded. "I just wish I knew what her name is so I could do the same to her for distracting you."

Etienne shook his head, puzzled. "I haven't the slightest idea what you are talking about."

"Oh come off it, boy," she laughed. "I know young love when I see it!"

He grinned amused. "I think you have finally lost your last marble, old woman."

"Really?" la Monge asked, raising an eyebrow knowingly. "Times have changed, I suppose. Last I knew, when a boy your age daydreams all day, runs off to unknown places in the night, and gets into as many brawls as you have lately, there is a lady friend involved somehow."

Etienne sat in silence for a minute; she was at least half right. Over the past week he constantly returned to the tavern whenever he found a few moments to himself, preferably during the afternoon hours. His master refused to ride about in the daylight, and the technicality called "lunch" proved to be a great help when it came to excuses. He could not help it; surely the girl was bound to come back there eventually.

Last week was the only time she caught him watching her, and he smiled a bit remembering the first. As usual, she was on the arm of another man, laughing and enjoying herself…she did have an amazing smile. She was beautiful in general, more so than any girl her age. That was the only thing he knew about her, that there was a five year difference between them. Really smooth, Romeo, he thought sarcastically, as if that would help him now. He knew how old she was, but her name and where she lived was still a mystery, one that he was desperate to solve.

"Should I be preparing my aim again?" la Monge interrupted, holding up the spoon to prove her point.

"No," Etienne laughed. "I would not want you to miss and hit my mouth; I thought you might want to hear that you are right."

"Of course I am!" she nodded proudly. "It is my duty as the more sensible gender of our kind."

"You offend me!" he grinned. "I am being gentlemanly enough to admit it, and you wound me with such words?"

"Gentlemanly?" she huffed. "If you were, you would have told me _who _she _is_!"

"When I find out her name, I will."

"Oh even better!" la Monge squealed, intrigued as she sat beside him. "A love from afar!"

Etienne raised an eyebrow at her actions. "What do you take me for? A gossip monger?" In the hall, the clock struck noon, and he stood, moving towards the kitchen door. "Even if I was, there isn't any time for such blather; this knight is off to continue the quest to find her."

"Not like that you are not!" la Monge protested motherly. Quickly she licked her fingers, and reached for his hair. "You look positively atrocious!"

"Oh really now!" he groaned, pulling her hand away gently. "That never helps, and how old do you think I am? Six?"

La Monge sighed, giving him the once-over. "Very well, you look…decent. Although if I were her, no one could pay me enough to look at you."

Etienne grinned victoriously, "Je t'aime aussi, Madame."

With a quick, sweet kiss to her cheek, like a child would offer his grandmother, he raced to the door.

* * *

"LINA!"

The girl herself groaned as she continued her walk to each room, gathering laundry to be washed. The single voice she despised grew louder with every screeching call as it came closer and closer.

"LINA! ARE YOU HERE?"

"Louder, Picolette!" she shouted, "I do not think any surrounding villages heard you!"

Moments later, a small blonde girl of ten bounded into the room. "You could have simply said 'I am in here!'," she scoffed childishly.

Lina rolled her eyes with a sigh. Picolette was the daughter of her godparents, Angelique and Fife. When Lina was little, the two were inseparable, but as the years passed and their age difference really began to show, there were moments she wanted nothing more than to strangle the runt. With every passing year, she prayed Picolette would finally display the slightest bit of maturity, but it was no use. She only grew more irritating.

Lina stopped as if to listen for something. "Was that your mother I just heard calling you?"

Picolette shrugged. "I did not hear anything."

"Well listen closer before I put you in my basket, and drown you with the laundry!"

The small girl folded her arms, glaring at her. "And just how much good will that do?"

Lina brushed past her. "Believe me, you do not want an answer to that question."

Picolette gasped indignantly. Following her into the hall, she threatened, "Fine…I am going to tell."

Under normal circumstances, Lina would have let the words in one ear and out the other. However, that was before the night at the tavern when she could have been pardoned for her words with a simple "You are older and should know better."

Turning to face her petite nemesis, Lina slowly started to walk towards her. "You would not dare…"

Picolette took a step backwards in time with Lina's advances before breaking into a run towards the staircase. "MAMAN!"

Downstairs in the den, Angelique and Babette glanced at the door, and then to the clock.

"In three, two, one," they counted in unison just as Picolette slid into the room and behind her mother for shelter. Babette pulled Lina to a halt a few seconds later.

"Maman, she is going to drown me!" the child whined, pulling Angelique's skirt over her face to hide.

"If she would leave me alone, I would not have to!" Lina argued in defense. "Some of us have responsibilities around here!"

Angelique grinned to her friend. "Our kind words have descended upon the next generation; I believe a celebration is in order."

Babette smiled. "I am impressed; I never threatened to drown you."

"No, but you did try to hang me."

"On a tree like an _ornament_, yes; do not make your daughter frightened of me."

"I hate to intrude upon these lovely memories," Lina drawled sarcastically. "But will someone please just tell us to grow up so I may continue the laundry?"

Babette nodded, "We would, but Picolette was only doing what we told her to do."

Lina narrowed her eyes angrily. "Quoi?"

"She is right," Angelique agreed, a smirk playing about her lips. "There is an early orchestra rehearsal today, and I have to begin organizing the décor for L'Celébration d'Été this afternoon. It is a few months away, but perfection takes precision and planning. Your mother suggested that Picolette stay with you for the day."

As if Lumière and Babette watching her every move for the past week was not enough, now this! Lina bit her lip, trying to force a smile. "Oh…she did…wonderful."

Babette patted her shoulder, her smile a little too sweet for anyone to believe it was genuine. "I knew you would not mind."

"Not at all," Lina nodded, gritting her teeth tightly as she mirrored the smile. Turning to Picolette, she sighed. "All right, pipsqueak, we have laundry to do. Come on."

"I am not a pipsqueak!" Picolette protested, following close behind her as she left.

Angelique turned to Babette. "Are you certain that was not too hard on her?"

"One day will not kill her," she replied casually as they went about their work again.

* * *

"Another one done," Lina said, handing Picolette a soaked shirt.

Outside, the warm spring sun shone bright in the sky as the girls sat attending to their work. As Lina scrubbed the clothes on the washboard, Picolette stood on a small stool hanging them up to dry. After she was sure the shirt was secure on the line, the younger girl walked back and sat beside her older companion.

"Lina?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you hate me?"

Lina looked up at her suddenly. "No!" she said, "What makes you think that?"

Picolette gave her a look. "You wanted to _drown me_!"

Lina sighed, determined to learn how to control her words before she spoke. "You know I did not mean it, or anything nasty I say for that matter."

"But you always say things like that," Picolette replied quietly, lowering her eyes.

Lina bit her lip, smiling after a quiet moment. "Well…I am only following the rules."

"What rules?" the child asked.

"You know, _the_ rules!" Lina said, gathering another shirt to scrub. "Big kids have to be tough on little ones, everyone knows that. It is illegal if we do not."

"I am not a little kid," Picolette pouted, crossing her arms.

"But you are not officially a big one until you turn thirteen."

The pout remained, but Picolette nodded with more understanding. "All right, but when I turn thirteen, you will be nicer? And you will lighten up a bit before then? Promise?"

"I promise," Lina smiled, tossing her the finished shirt. "Now go hang this up to dry, pipsqueak."

"I am not a pipsqueak!" Picolette shouted with a grin as she walked to the line. As she reached the line from atop her stool to hang it, however, she saw a rider approaching, and raced over to see who it was.

"Can I help you, monsieur?" she asked as if she were the lady of the house.

The man smiled kindly as he leapt from his horse. "Oui, ma petite mademoiselle. My name is Etienne, and I came here…to meet with someone."

Picolette circled him slowly, as if to determine if this stranger was true to his word. "One second," she responded cautiously, before turning in Lina's direction. "LINA! COME HERE!"

"Keep your voice down!" Lina called, already walking to join them. Seeing Etienne, she offered a startled expression. "Well, quelle surprise, monsieur; you are certainly looking much better."

Etienne grinned, reaching for her hand to kiss it respectfully. "I am honored that you remember me, mademoiselle."

For the first time in a long time, Lina blushed a deep red as she took back her hand. "It is difficult to forget such a hero as yourself. What brings you here?"

"I actually…came looking for you," he answered, subtly gesturing to Picolette before he continued.

Lina nodded in understanding. "Pipsqueak, could you go inside? Just for a minute?"

Picolette put her hands on her hips knowingly. "You can't talk to him! Your maman told mine if she caught you with a boy that she would—"

Lina covered her mouth quickly with a smile, roughly stroking her hair as if she were a lapdog. "Children, what are we going to do with them? Excusez moi, un moment!" Pulling Picolette out of his hearing range, she ordered, "Listen, I know what my maman said, but I swear it will just be for a few minutes. Can you please just go inside and keep your mouth shut until I am done? _Please_?"

Picolette huffed a deep breath, but nodded. "All right, I will." She glanced over at Etienne quickly before she whispered, "He looks nice, and he's cute! Don't mess this one up!"

Lina could not contain a laugh. "I promise I won't; now go on!"

When they were alone again, Lina shook her head apologetically. "I am sorry about that."

"Oh not at all," Etienne replied reassuringly. "She was not a bother, but she is a child…and I did not think she would want to be around…" He paused for a moment, and grinned. "I am not making any sense, I know."

Lina smiled, surprisingly a bit shy. Not since she was first complimented by a man had she felt like this. "I know what you mean." She gestured him to follow as she walked. "Be honest, monsieur…?"

"Etienne, mademoiselle."

Lina nodded. "Monsieur Etienne. That is interesting actually; I used to know someone with that name when I was a little girl."

"A beautiful woman must know many men with a similar name." He paused after he spoke, adding quickly, "I mean…or I did not mean that offensively! Forgive me."

"No offense taken," she said gently, taking a minute to look at him without any of his bruises. He was definitely good looking. Light hair, dark eyes…no, she could not fall for him this easily, not like the rest. "Monsieur Etienne, why have you come here? How did you even find us?"

"I told you, mademoiselle, I came to see you," he answered. "I spoke to someone who knew you at the tavern, and he told me you served the prince in the Chateau Mountains. My apologies for being so forward, but I have been hoping you would have come back to the tavern to see me. Been waiting forever to…thank you in a much more pleasant situation than the other night…for your father's kind offer, I mean."

Lina rolled her eyes. "You would have been waiting a long time."

"Not allowed to return?" he asked, knowingly.

She shook her head. "Not until I am an old spinster, that's for sure."

He laughed. "Then I am glad I was able to find you."

Lina grinned. "I am too…on _his_ behalf of course."

He smiled pleasantly. "Of course."

Lina glanced at the ground before looking to the windows to make certain no one could see her. She desperately wanted to spend more time with him, but she knew Picolette all too well. The poor child was easily conned into telling all should their parents make her feel guilty enough.

"Monsieur Etienne, would you…be interested in joining us tonight?" she asked. "For dinner perhaps? I am certain my father would like to hear…a personal thank you."

"I would be honored, mademoiselle," he said. "Name the hour, and I will be here."

She thought for a moment, going over the dinner schedule in her head. "Is eight o'clock all right? That is our time to sit and eat amongst ourselves."

"Absolument," he agreed.

Lina nodded in confirmation. "Promptly at eight it is."

"I will be here. For now, I shall leave you to your work." He grinned, bowing politely leaving a proper kiss on her hand once again. "Until tonight."

Lina stroked her hand when he let it go with an absentminded smile. "I can not wait."

As she walked with him back to his horse, he climbed on and asked, "Before I forget, what lovely name do I give tonight when they ask who I am looking for?"

"Tell them Lina invited you."

He nodded, his smile growing. "Very well, Mademoiselle Lina; a bientôt."


	8. Chapter Eight

_A/N: Short and sweet, THANKS Trudi-)_

_Chapter Eight_

Dress upon dress, blouses upon skirts. Every scrap of clothing that Lina owned had made the journey from her drawers to a growing heap on her floor. Though a lucky few received a second glance, they would not have been hopeful for too long, for they were thrown to the pile again moments later. Their mistress was not satisfied with any of them, and with an irritated sigh, she collapsed on her bed with a bounce.

"Lina?" Babette called from the adjoining door. "What are you doing in there?"

"Panicking!" she called. "Inwardly, but definitely panicking!"

When Babette opened the door, she raised a brow, eyeing the mass of clothes. "I can see that."

Lina reached for a pillow to cover her face. "My stomach hurts," she moaned, "I refuse to go downstairs to eat!"

Babette snatched it away, forcing her to sit up. "That is not illness," she mused. "It is nerves. Come now, you made these plans, against our better judgment…"

"_Your_ better judgment," Lina corrected. "Papa knows he is a good person."

"Against _my_ better judgment," Babette sighed as she continued, "We agreed to let him join us. You _are_ going to dinner."

"In the name of justice and humanity, please do not make me go. I have butterflies in my stomach and worse, absolutely nothing to wear!"

"You have only met this boy twice!"

There was a pause before Lina asked, "And…your point is?"

Babette folded her arms as a thoughtful look of realization came over her. "This means that much to you?"

Lina shrugged. "I…don't know. I just want to look nice tonight. _Really_ nice, almost formal."

Babette smiled with a decisive nod. "Come with me, I think I may have something."

Lina followed her into her room, watching as she went through her own drawers. It took a few minutes, but soon enough, Babette took out a folded dress. Despite the slight wear it showed from aging, it was pretty, a black bodice over a billowy white blouse, and a long black skirt.

"This was your grandmother's," she explained. "When I first met your father, before there was anything serious between us, I adored him but could not _stand_ him whatsoever. But the one time…" Babette paused to laugh gently. "One time, he made me so jealous that I took most of my dresses, cut them short and used them to…return the favor, if you will. This was the only one that I did not touch."

Lina smiled as she accepted it from her. "It is nice."

She put on the dress carefully, as if it were a precious treasure. She knew how close her mother and grandmother had been; the last thing she wanted to do was ruin the heirloom. As Babette laced the bodice, Lina glanced at the mirror, grinning absently at her reflection. She truly felt like an elegant lady, a sentiment she had not known since she was a little girl when Lumière treated her as if she were the true princess of the castle.

After tying her long reddish hair back simply, Lina turned to her mother. "Well? What do you think?"

Babette nodded, gazing at her proudly. "You look stunning, absolutely stunning." With a bit of a smirk, she could not resist adding, "If that dress does not win him over, I do not know what will."

Lina laughed, straightening the skirt before nodding in contentment. "All right…I am ready."

Quickly they made their way to the main hallway of the servants' quarters where Lumière waited, shaking his head seemingly in disapproval as he saw his daughter.

"Oh mon Dieu, non," he said with a frown.

Lina looked at him, confused. "What is it, Papa?"

"You."

"What about me?"

"I think…yes, it is definitely the dress," he nodded, before breaking into a grin. "You are far too breathtaking in it; the boy does not stand a chance. He will adoringly grovel at your feet all night."

"I believe that was the general idea she had in mind," Babette responded knowingly, folding her arms in front of her with a smirk. "Besides, he who has groveled before should not cast stones."

Lumière smiled sheepishly as she accepted his arm, leading them to the wing's dining room. "Touché, as always, ma plumette." Once they arrived, he asked Lina, "You did tell him promptly at eight? The last thing we need to hear is Cogsworth fussing about dinner getting cold."

She was about to respond when a new voice spoke from the door. "I pray I am not late?"

Lina turned, beaming amidst a gentle blush as she saw Etienne. Considering her earlier impressions—badly bruised after a brawl and a passing-by meeting during his work hours—she did not have much of a standard of comparison, but nonetheless, she truly believed it possible for him to grow more handsome with each visit, this one certainly being the best. He could almost pass for a royal; his light, shoulder length hair neatly groomed and his clothes pressed neatly.

"As you can see, I did," she answered her father, before running to greet him. "Not at all, you are just in time."

Etienne breathed a sigh of relief. "Merci le Dieu!" Quietly, as he took her hand for the familiar greeting kiss, he added, "The last thing I want to do is disappoint those I am most indebted to."

As the pair slowly made their way to the table, Lumière chuckled under his breath. "If he acts as well as he presents himself, I think she has finally found a respectable admirer."

"What do you mean?" Babette asked.

"You did not see him a week ago," he whispered. "René is stronger than he appears, and that young man took quite a beating. Now look at him, hardly a scratch! He cleans up rather well." As Babette nodded, gazing at the boy intently, he asked, "Is something wrong?"

"Not wrong," she said silently, "I just…feel like I have seen him before, but from where, I do not know."

Before he could reply, Babette subtly gestured for silence as Lina and Etienne came into hearing range.

"Papa, you remember Etienne," Lina introduced, glowing with adoration. "Maman, this is the 'hero' we have been telling you about."

Etienne nodded, his face mildly turning red. "Monsieur, an honor once again; Madame, enchantée absolument," he greeted, respectfully acknowledging each as a gentleman would.

Babette smiled, still studying him intently. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Monsieur Etienne, especially after hearing nothing but wonderful things about you from both my husband and Lina."

"The pleasure is mine," Etienne replied with a kind grin. "It is not every day a man is glorified for a fight."

Lumière laughed. "That was not a fight; it was a matter of honor. A defense of mankind, I believe you called it?"

"Something like that, oui," Etienne mused. Trying not to glance at Lina—and failing miserably—he added, "At least this time, the beating was worth it."

Lina blushed deeply, never in her life feeling as shy as she did then. "I do believe it is time to eat. Shall we?"

* * *

Everything went by without a hitch as Lina prayed it would. If anything would prove Etienne worthy and honorable as a possible suitor, it would have been this dinner. Growing up a servant's life, her family had always consisted of not only her parents, but of each and every person seated at the table. He fit so perfectly within that family. In serious conversation, he spoke with intelligence and thoughtfulness; in amusement, he jested and laughed with the best of them. Even Cogsworth, the most uptight and critical of them all, had taken a liking to him; that alone was a good omen.

Etienne, on the other hand, could not draw his attention away from Lina. As young as he was when his father was murdered, he thought nothing good would enter his life ever again, and Jacques constantly saw to that personally. But as he watched this girl amongst her family, he knew he was wrong. He could not help but notice something more about her than what he had seen across the room at the tavern. On those nights, she could illuminate his darkest thoughts by simply being there, even if she was on another man's arm. Now that he had finally met and started getting to know her, she was slowly becoming his light in the darkness, and he never wanted to leave her side.

Only when it was time to clear the table did Etienne's mind take on a new focus, and he rose to help. Lina watched amusedly as she gathered plates at the farther end of the table, blaming his actions on instinct. She understood all too well like the rest; you could never take the servant out of the boy, even among friends.

As Etienne reached for a plate, however, a hand stopped his, and he looked up to see Babette.

"Monsieur Etienne, you are our guest," she said gently. "You need not fuss over the cleaning."

"Madame, it is no trouble at all," he insisted, "It would not be right to sit, stare and do nothing."

Babette grinned, as if with a secret plan. "I never said I would make you do nothing. I _was_ going to suggest that Lina show you the grounds instead of being in the kitchen with the rest of us."

Lina's eyes turned in their direction, wide with hope as she stood over a stack of dishes. When Etienne looked to her in question, she nodded quickly.

The young man smiled. "In that case, with your permission, I would be delighted to accept that offer."

Babette turned in Lina's direction calling, "I know you already heard me! Come here!"

As the girl bounded happily towards them, she asked, "Papa will not mind?"

"Leave your father to me. Just promise you will not corrupt Monsieur Etienne's mind with too many of your inherited flirtations," Babette warned. "I am trusting you, Lina; please do not disappoint me."

"I swear I will not," Lina replied immediately, embracing her mother in gratitude. "Merci, Maman!" Taking Etienne by the hand, she led him outside onto the grounds.

* * *

For the longest time as the pair lingered upon the moonlit grounds, no words passed between them. Eyes met, laughs were shared, but words were elusive until Etienne attempted to speak.

"The skies are surprisingly clear up here," he offered. Pathetic, but it was a start. "We rarely see stars at home. My master lives closer to the busier cities; no one ever has the time to look at them."

Lina turned her eyes upward. "Never thought too much of them myself, or at least not recently. My father would always tell me to make a wish on one each night when I was little."

He nodded, his voice distant, almost saddening. "Reminds me of my own, although yes, that was a long time ago. Have not seen him in so long."

"He travels? Hardly home?"

He looked down at the ground. "Dead…killed when I was a boy."

Lina winced. "I'm sorry; I did not mean to—"

"Do not apologize," Etienne interrupted. "You asked honestly."

She nodded in understanding. "May I ask how? You do not have to answer."

He swallowed, discreetly nervous. While he knew Jacques was far from hearing him, it had always been his instinct to guard his words having had enough punishment for them when he was younger. "He…was in town, running errands for our master, and some roustabouts decided…to give him a difficult time."

His voice clearly revealed he was lying, Lina knew; she had the same tone numerous times before in front of her parents. But it had to be painful talking about it hence she did not persist for the truth.

"What about your mother?"

"Never knew her; she gave life to me in exchange for hers, if you want to see death in childbirth as a noble deed."

Lina sighed. "If you want to give me a good smack upside the head, you can; I can not even pick a decent conversation."

Etienne laughed. "You did nothing wrong in asking, I swear it; how would you have known?" His smile grew as she blushed slightly; such a simple every day action, yet on her, it was most adorable. "How about this? Your parents must worry constantly whenever you went to the taverns, and I do not blame them. If you feel you have to 'make up for your words', then do not worry them so much, for me. Do we have a deal?"

Lina rolled her eyes in mock frustration. "Oh, all right! For you, I will behave, I promise." She laughed along with him gently, adding, "Making me promise such things; one would think you wanted me all for yourself."

Etienne's foot once again scuffed the ground, and she made a note that he always seemed to do that when he was nervous. "I never said that…"

"But you did not deny it either."

"True," he smiled, starting to blush himself.

Lina grinned, "Are you saying that you _want_ to keep me all for yourself?"

Etienne looked thoughtful. "I think it may be a bit early to determine that." When she stopped their walk suddenly, he asked, concerned, "Are you all right? Did I offend you?"

Lina shook her head, speaking reassuringly. "That was…just the first time I ever heard that from a man. I am…not quite used to the respectable type, if you will, although I never really thought about looking for one of them."

Etienne smirked a bit. "You forget that I have seen the other men you speak of."

She flushed bright red, grinning rightfully embarrassed. "Touché." She looked at him for a long moment, almost thoughtfully. He certainly was different…but in a good sense of the word. By now, her usual escort would have her swooning in desire, not caring any more about what she had to say. It was all about a physical sense of admiration, but not with Etienne. Lina had to admit she was almost speechless.

"Thank you," she said suddenly.

"Thank you?" he asked, confused. "Whatever for?"

"For everything. You have done more good for me than you know. Not every man would have stood up for me as you did, and then made such an effort to see me in such a kind way as you did tonight. I have not had a friend like that in so long, outside of home at least." Lina laughed after a moment's pause and shrugged. "I know, I am being rather random, but you honestly have me at a loss for words."

Etienne smiled. "I completely understand. I grew up with few friends myself, and the one good friend I had I lost the same year as my father."

"Really?"

He nodded. "I remember she used to come along every December when we were young, visiting the cemetery with her family."

Lina paused before she asked thoughtfully, "December 1st? To a city north of here…I can not remember the name…?"

"Exactly," he said, mirroring her expression. "St. Honore?"

Lina's eyes grew wide, but shook her head. "You are not serious…?"

Etienne took his own moment of silence, and then laughed. "Chandellina…that is your full name, I take it?"

Laughing herself, she hugged him tightly. "Mon Dieu, I still do not believe it; I knew it! I _knew_ you seemed familiar!"

A little taken aback by the embrace, he returned it slowly, grinning from ear to ear. "Small world, I guess."

She pulled back but did not let go. "Absolument…"

He said nothing in reply, only gazed at her. Finally, something from his past that had not abandoned him, he thought with a smile, absentmindedly reaching to brush back a bit of hair that escaped her ribbon, resting it then on her cheek. "You never could keep your hair intact," he whispered.

Lina closed her eyes, pleasantly. "It is just as stubborn as me, I think…"

On any other occasion, this would be the beginning of lustful passion, but not this time. This felt real, comfortable, and she prayed the moment would linger as long as possible. Biting her lip, she gently drew him close…

"You there! What are you doing out here?"

Both of them pulled away at the sudden interruption, and Lina frowned as they found Arnaud, the captain of the guards, riding towards them. Beside her, Etienne tensed, trying, and failing, not to be seen.

"It is only me, Captain Arnaud!" she answered. "I was showing our guest the grounds."

Arnaud glared at Etienne for a moment before he answered. "Very well, Lina; I did not realize. But I must ask that you hurry inside; the doors will be locked shortly. Besides, it is rather late to be out here, for you and your…friend. He should be getting home himself, I am _sure_. His master must be worried."

Etienne scowled at him, but turned to Lina, his expression softening. "I really should be going."

Lina nodded, certainly regretting that he had to go. "Yes…thank you again for coming. You are _always_ welcome here."

Etienne smiled, whispering a good night as he walked to his horse, which was tied at the gate. When he was gone, and Lina turned to go inside, Arnaud watched them both, allowing a deadly smirk to play about his lips. This was indeed a most interesting turn of events that Jacques was certain to enjoy.

* * *

Hearing Lina's door click shut, Babette discreetly peeked in through the adjoining door, barely containing her amusement as she watched Lina slide into bed after she changed. Never, in the longest time, had the girl seemed so content and happy, she realized, seeing her daughter smile as she fell asleep. She would see Etienne again in her dreams, Babette knew as she grinned and shut the adjoining door quietly.

"Well?" Lumière asked quietly from the bed.

"Long gone and meeting him in dreamland," Babette answered, resting herself beside him. "And this one is definitely worth clinging to."

Lumière laughed. "Brings back memories, oui?"

"It certainly does, although _you_ would have been in her place. I could not stand you when we met."

"Liar," he scoffed. "You know you _worshipped_ me."

Babette smirked. "Prove it."

Reaching to douse the candlelight, Lumière gazed at her hungrily. Drawing her close with a kiss, he was determined to meet her demands.


	9. Chapter Nine

_A/N: Trudi, you know you're the most awesome proofreader and muse I have the honor of knowing. As with the other pain in the neck chapters, I bow down at your feet!_

_Chapter Nine_

One meager little strand of hair refused to stay in place; insignificant as it may seem, Etienne wanted everything to be perfect for Lina. While she never demanded nor expected perfection, he would accept no less for her. After all, it was as Madame la Monge had been saying since he came home that night.

"This lady friend of yours must be worth all the trouble you go through for her. Starting work late and ending it early." By the end of that sentence, she muttered choice words under her breath that he never heard, for he had stopped listening.

Taking one last look in the glass, Etienne nodded, satisfied at last with the man looking back at him. Not one to brag, but in a wonderful mood as of late, he could not resist a tiny smirk, pleased with his admittedly handsome reflection. He looked good because he felt good. His growing feelings for Lina allowed him to escape the loneliness he faced for so long.

As he made his way to the doors cautiously, Etienne carefully went over his thoughts. The pair had spent every meeting since the dinner getting to know one another, becoming friends all over again. Tonight, the time was finally right; he would tell her how he truly felt. He would confess that no one in the world ever meant more to him than she did. Tonight, she would know he was in love with her.

For a moment, he stopped to think about her possible reaction to those words with a distant smile. As much as she had slowly matured into a more responsible young woman, Lina was still a flirtatious little girl at heart. During their recent visits, she subtly attempted, using her delightful mind games and twisting of words, to make him admit that his feelings were more than those of friendship. Tonight, she would finally claim a victory in her most persistent battle, and as he could sense Lina felt the same way about him, Etienne could not wait to tell her, let alone see her, as he raced to the door. Nothing could stop him in the pursuit of happiness.

That is, except what was to greet him on the other side.

The soles of his boots quietly screeched as Etienne stopped short looking up into the eyes of his master. Jacques was never one to share a genuine smile, but his usual scowl had multiplied in anger seemingly tenfold. As the rain began to downpour, signaling a storm, the young man literally gulped as the man's image sinisterly enhanced against a disturbing backdrop, reminding him of horror stories from his childhood.

"Well now," his voice growled. "Where would you be off to so late at night?"

Etienne tried to appear brave, but he felt himself instinctively cowering as he did when he was a boy. "N-nowhere, Monseigneur…"

Once Jacques had stepped completely inside the manor, he gave the heavy door a shove, causing it to loudly click shut. All the while, his eyes never left Etienne's as they fed off the fear he felt radiating from them. His lips curled into a grim smirk.

"Now, now, boy," he offered quietly. "You know how I feel about defiant liars, especially since you witnessed an execution of one many years ago. I would have thought you'd knew better."

"I am not lying," Etienne offered shakily, stepping backwards in time with Jacques' menacing advances.

The older man simply shook his head. "As usual, we must do things the hard way."

A snap of his fingers brought a few men down on Etienne as Arnaud stood at the leader's side. Only after a sufficient number of blows from their trained fists did Jacques order the men off of him.

"Enough!" he shouted. Kneeling to the boy's eye level where he had slumped to the floor weakly, he gave Etienne's face a rough lift by the chin to inspect the results. A smug grin covered his lips as he laughed mockingly.

"Poor thing," he simpered with the utmost sickening sweetness. "Your good looks must have been a rather important feature in attracting your lady."

Etienne swallowed, ignoring the throbbing pain that scorched his back and face as he looked at his master. He was used to it. "I…do not know…what you mean by 'my lady'."

"Another lie?" Jacques asked, raising an eyebrow as he stood. "Mon Dieu, I fear the men are losing their touch. According to what Monsieur Arnaud has told me, you have been sneaking off into the night to visit and gaze at a pretty face." He turned to the man beside him. "Isn't that so, mon ami?"

Arnaud nodded. "A very pretty face."

Jacques turned once more to Etienne. "So the saying goes, innocent until proven guilty. Now…are you ready to redeem yourself with the truth?" When Etienne lowered his eyes with no response, he laughed disgustingly amused. "Another saying on display…like father, like son. His silence speaks louder than his words ever will."

Etienne snarled painfully. "You do not know her. A mere bruise will not change her opinion of me, nor will it stop me from seeing her."

Jacques' puzzled expression dripped with sarcasm as did the words that followed. "Oh dear…I do believe you misunderstood me. You thought you would go along your love struck way with a few injuries? Oh no, my boy, you are quite wrong."

"What do you mean?"

The older man smiled grotesquely. "These fine gentlemen shall be your companions this evening. Monsieur Arnaud and I will most certainly offer your regrets when I pay the lady a visit in your place."

Etienne's eyes grew wide as his anger reached new heights. With a sudden urgency, he struggled with all the might he had left, cursing the man. "You…you son of a…!"

"Ah ah, watch your tongue!" Jacques admonished. "It is not gentlemanly to curse while speaking of your lady."

"You…you can't! You won't!" Etienne persisted as the men dragged him to a room. "You will not touch her! You wouldn't dare!"

Jacques laughed quietly under his breath, pausing in front of a mirror glass nearby before he and Arnaud made their way outside. "How little people know of me."

* * *

Lina paced the grounds of the glade as she waited. Etienne was never this late without a good reason, she repeated in her mind; she just had to keep telling herself that he was all right. Everything else had been since she had met him…again.

Trying to distract herself, she grinned at the thought of exactly how normal her days had felt since then. She was no longer at odds with her parents and friends anymore, a very good thing. Lina never enjoyed arguing with them or intentionally disobeying, but at the time, she would do what she must to have a life of her own. Ever since Etienne, she had "shown a stunning personality improvement", or so she thought Cogsworth had said. Something along those lines, she shrugged. Most importantly, her parents trusted her again, and that alone was a wonderful feeling.

They still took their turns in worrying, however; that was part of the Unwritten Law. Having no place to themselves in the servants' sitting room and Etienne insisting the tavern would not be an ideal choice to meet, trust or not, the pair had found a nice secluded but accessible place in the nearby woods to spend their time. An occasional visit from Lumière kept Lina at bay should temptation arise, but it never felt like a bombarding privacy invasion. He would laugh and talk with them for a minute, but then a simple hint on her part would have him gone moments later. It was a comfortable arrangement on all sides.

Now if only Etienne would arrive, it would be a perfect arrangement on that particular evening. Much as they helped, her distracting thoughts drifted to make way for worry, and she wished she had a watch to know exactly how much time to scold him for when he got there.

A rustle of branches startled her, causing her to drop a fan she brought for the humid summer nights, but Lina breathed a sigh of relief a second later.

"For a while, I thought I might as well go inside," she said, her back still turned to her companion as she bent to reach her fan. "You are late."

"My apologies, mademoiselle."

Lina startled again, bolting upright and turned, as the voice was not Etienne's. Instead, it belonged to an older man. "Déjà vu" must have favored her mind with its tricks lately; as when she'd first met Etienne, she could have sworn she knew him. But with Etienne, the meeting had been friendly, content; this man was different.

"Monsieur…what are you doing here?" she asked, putting some distance between them. "Who are you?"

His grin sent malevolent chills down her spine. "My dear child, I doubt you would remember me even if you knew my name."

"Nonetheless, it is customary for a gentleman to answer a lady's question."

He nodded, although he laughed inwardly as few considered him a gentleman. "My first name shall suffice. Jacques."

When he offered his gloved hand for hers, Lina eyed it hesitantly, oddly feeling the familiar sensation of her power. When she looked into his eyes inquisitively, he raised an eyebrow as if confused as to why she would deny him her own hand, and against her better judgment, she allowed him to accept it, prepared to defend herself if need be.

Jacques' grin widened as she did, kissing it as any aristocratic male was taught to do when greeting a lady. What bothered Lina more was how he held tightly to it afterwards.

"Where are my manners?" he asked, innocently. "I should have asked for the name of such a fair young woman before giving my own. Ladies first, after all."

Lina tried to subtly pull her hand away. "Chandellina. Lina will suffice, as you say."

"Interesting name," he smiled, releasing her hand but drawing close to keep her right where he wanted.

As he moved, allowing the moon to shine on her face through the branches, Jacques felt breathless at the sight. The girl was certainly not a child anymore, and the striking resemblance to her mother…! If not for her light hair and playful eyes, in contrast to Babette's dark locks and mysterious eyes, Lina was the exact replica of the woman he adored. In a moment of what he deemed weakness, he gently reached to touch her cheek.

"The likeness," he whispered distantly. "It is extraordinary…"

Lina pulled away, disturbed. "Monsieur, what on earth are you talking about?"

Jacques retracted his hand, clenching it into a fist as he tried to suppress the passion that had not burned inside of him in so long.

"I…am sorry, Mademoiselle…Lina," he offered, but when he took another look at her, he took another deep breath. He had come with the intent to kill his prey that he hunted, but his mind quickly formed another plan. One that would be his ultimate revenge…and satisfy him at the same time.

"No," he continued, "I must admit, I am not…"

Terrified at this stranger's growing insanity, Lina attempted an escape, but Jacques easily prevented her from doing so, grabbing her wrists where it was impossible for her to touch him. He was not a fool; there was no forgetting what her hands were capable of doing.

Drawing close to her ear, he whispered, "I have known you longer than you think, my pet; you have grown into a stunning woman. A mere boy does not deserve you; he can give you nothing. At my side, you can have anything—_everything_—you desire. You have but to ask, and it is yours. Your life, your entire family line, will be raised above the lowly status of a servant. You will have meaning…"

"You are mad!" Lina shrieked, at last freeing herself to make her escape into the woods. Looking around frantically, she saw Arnaud in the distance, and ran to him as fast as she could.

"Captain Arnaud!" she shouted breathless, reaching for the hand he offered to her. "Captain…please help! There is…a madman after me…I do not know where he came from! I just…barely got away…!"

"Lina, calm down," Arnaud ordered. "He will not harm you…much."

Her moment of relief vanished as quickly as it arrived. "What did you say?"

Arnaud smirked maliciously. "Do not fear him; he only wants to take you to meet your lover."

"Etienne? How would he have known…?" Lina's face paled in shock and realization. "You…you work for him! You are a traitor!"

"I would prefer to call it a change in loyalty."

Before Lina could break into another run, Arnaud made his attack, drawing her back against him in a strangling hold where he could cover her face with a cloth. Lina struggled with all her might, trying to mentally call upon her incantation…but her mind was drawing only blank results. She could not remember the words, and her breaths were coming shorter by the second. Aside from the captain's strong grip, she could smell a toxin of sorts on the rag that he held over her face. The very next minute, her body was unconsciously limp.

As Jacques approached, Arnaud carried the girl to him.

"You only used a bit of the drug?" Jacques asked, reaching for the pulse point on her throat. "Not too much?"

"Just enough to leave her senseless," Arnaud confirmed.

"Très bien," Jacques nodded. "Glove her hands and put her in the carriage. We must get her back to the manor before anyone realizes she is gone. The last thing I need is her imbecile father sending out a search party too soon. Besides," he smirked amused. "Poor thing is sure to have a wretched headache when she awakens; we should make her as comfortable as possible."


	10. Chapter Ten

**_Chapter Ten_**

The echo sounded through the entire manor as the cellar door swung open to meet the wall. Arnaud hurried down the stairs, with Jacques and a sleepy eyed Adele in tow, Lina slumped over his shoulder.

"Tie her to the post," Jacques ordered. "And make certain that her hands do not free themselves from the gloves."

"Already done," Arnaud replied, indicating the rope wrapped securely around her wrists. Once he placed her on the ground, he tied the long end around the post.

Adele moved forward, looking over the pitiful sight with interest. "This?" she asked, glancing up at Jacques with scornful laughter. "This is what you have been afraid of for so many years, brother dear?"

"You have not seen what she can do," he replied, anger climbing to its highest peak. "And let us pray that you never have to."

Adele shrugged slightly, kneeling beside Lina to get a better look. "Her dress is still intact; I am impressed. She looks so much like her mother, it is a wonder that you did not—"

"Enough!" Jacques shouted, his patience entirely extinguished. "No one told you to follow us down here!"

Adele rose indignantly. "Very well, I know when I am not wanted."

"Perhaps it is best that you come back upstairs with me," Arnaud intervened, "I have to return tonight as it is, if only for a while. I can already hear Babette whining about her baby not returning home."

Jacques took a deep breath, and nodded. "Keep them off the scent as long as we need."

"How long is that?"

The dark man skulked sinisterly to hover over his captive, reaching out to stroke her cheek with the very hand she and her father had scarred years ago.

"Long enough to make the kill."

* * *

Upon arriving at the castle, Arnaud could not resist a smirk as, sure enough, the worried tones of a mother rang through the halls.

"I know she is not out there!" Babette was shouting, following Lumière as he made his way to the front hall. "You told me that! What I want to know is where she is!"

"And if I had the answer, I would not be panicking along with you right now, would I?" he retaliated, his tone a little more harsh than he would have preferred. With Arnaud taking in the scene from the doorway, Lumière turned, his expression taking on repentance as Babette glared at him with the look of death.

"I did not mean that to sound as it did," he said, lowering his voice to a calm, quieter volume.

"Whether you did or not, I did not deserve it," she quite literally snarled. "I told you to check on them sooner, but did you listen to me? Of course not! Now my daughter is missing and neither of us knows where she is!"

Allowing himself one last moment of gloating, Arnaud moved in to cover his tracks. "Is everything all right here?"

Babette ran to him immediately. "Captain Arnaud, merci le Dieu! Have you seen Lina by any chance? We have neither seen nor heard from her since she left earlier this evening!"

Arnaud paused before he replied, attempting to seem thoughtful. "Last I saw of her, I was making my nightly rounds on patrol. She was with that new young beau of hers."

Lumière stepped forward. "What time was that?"

The man shook his head. "I would say about twenty minutes ago, in that clearing where they always meet."

Babette glanced at Lumière subtly as he asked, still quite persistent as a concerned father would, "Are…you certain of that?"

Arnaud nodded. "Quite."

Before any more words could be shared, the clock in the massive great hall tolled the next hour, and the captain spoke again. "Do not fear for her, madame; my men will not rest until every inch of the grounds have been searched. If she is anywhere in the vicinity, we will find her. I will see to the search myself, starting this very instant!"

When he was gone, Babette asked, "You went to check on them then, and you found neither Lina or Etienne there."

"They were not," Lumière replied. After a thoughtful moment, he continued, embracing her gently, "Go to bed, ma plumette; I am going out to look for her myself."

* * *

"What on earth are you thinking!"

Lumière closed his eyes tightly in annoyance; Cogsworth never could keep his mouth shut. But that did not stop him as he quietly made his way out to the stables.

"If Lina is in as much trouble as you believe, then we must first tell the master! He will know the proper actions to take!"

"There is no time!" Lumière hissed quietly. "Arnaud knows more than he will admit, and I intend to find out how much more."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Listen, I know when I left to see Lina and Etienne in the clearing, and discovered they were gone," he explained. "Arnaud went there after I did, and he claims saw them there."

"Perhaps she was hiding from you," Cogsworth argued exasperated, breathless as he tried to keep up with his comrade. "She is exactly like you were at her age, hence would not want to be caught."

"No," Lumière said, reaching to open the stable doors. "She and I made a fair agreement that I would be able to check on her, and she has not broken it since. Something is not right."

Cogsworth planted his foot firmly in front of the door. "The last thing I want for your daughter is to see any harm come to her, but Lumière, if she is in danger, what exactly do you propose we do? Just saunter in and get her out? That will only put her at a greater risk."

The Frenchman responded with a simple smirk, and Cogsworth narrowed his eyes angrily.

"Don't look at me like that," he ordered. "Nothing good comes from that look!"

"You wound me, mon ami," Lumière laughed. "You think I would just throw us into the fire and not think first? Of course that will put her at a greater risk…if they knew we were there."

"What do you mean?"

His smirk only grew, and before his friend's eyes, Lumière began to change shape. As his tall height diminished, each of his cuffs became a sconce, his entire ensemble turning to metal. His hands and hair dissolved from view under two stalks of wax. In an instant, he became the candelabra he was so many years ago.

"Oh no!" his human companion said slowly. "No, no, no!"

"Oh come now!" Lumière grinned. "How else do you suggest we find out what is wrong?"

Cogsworth sighed defeated, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "I am getting too old for this!"

In a moment, the older man transformed into his own former shape just as Lumière had before him. While his minimal stature grew even shorter, his pocket watch became a pendulum, wood enveloping him like a shell. His thin moustache pointed in awkward directions as arrows formed at the ends. When he opened his aggravated eyes again, he was a clock, eye level with Lumière once again.

The candelabra grinned wholeheartedly. "Cogsworth and Lumière on the case again! Lovely memories, non?"

"Don't you start," Cogsworth warned with a deadly scowl. Taking a moment to look around, he folded his arms impatiently. "Well now, Monsieur I-Have-A-Plan-Not-To-Fear, what is the next phase in this God forsaken plot of yours?"

Lumière did not answer, but instead pulled on the door with what little strength he had. When it was open enough for them to get inside, he gestured for Cogsworth to follow. The poor clock, after squeezing tightly through, was still reluctant, but did as he was silently told.

"It's Arnaud's saddlebag," Lumière whispered, indicating a leather bag hanging near the stall where the captain's horse was kept. Running, or what one could consider running for a candelabra, he raced to a tall bound stack of hay sitting next to it.

"You have the better hands between us," he said. "Climb up, then help me do so."

"You had better planned on giving me a boost," Cogsworth retorted. "I am not as tall as I used to be."

"As if you ever were," Lumière muttered, blowing out the flames on his hands before he held them out to help him climb.

With a bit of a struggle, they succeeded as Cogsworth then helped to pull him up. Just in time too, for the moment they climbed into the saddlebag, they heard Arnaud's footsteps as he made his way to the stall. With a jolt, the bag was gathered and tied, the bumpy ride only beginning.

_

* * *

_

_A/N: Short and sweet, and very long to update. My apologies. But now that the juices are going, and I can focus more on this one, expect sooner updates and longer chaps again. Thanks to all!_


	11. Chapter Eleven

_Chapter Eleven_

A long journey may not always be an easy one, but for Lumière and Cogsworth, once more at their object size, every passing moment was unbearable.

"We could not simply follow him first, and then transform, could we?" Cogsworth groaned quietly. "Constantly have to do things the hard way! An old dog will never learn any new tricks!"

"If you say one more word, I will be the first to agree to that!" Lumière murmured angrily. "You yourself are living proof with your incessant rambling! Now keep it down before you get us killed!"

"And still so child—."

The poor clock was interrupted as the horse reared with an abrupt halt, almost causing them to fall out. The short-lived rest only lasted for a moment, however; Arnaud must have grabbed the saddlebag to bring it inside, they realized as it jostled about. Thankfully, they felt him hang up their leather-made vehicle of transportation when all movement ceased.

Only the sound of voices prevented them from making their exit.

"Hello?" Arnaud called. "I am back!"

"They suspect nothing, I trust?"

If he was not in a bag, Lumière knew he would have burst into flame at hearing a voice that defined pure hatred for him; Jacques' voice was unfortunately quite distinct. Intelligent tones of a proud aristocrat blended with the hostile hiss of a snake in the grass.

"Nothing at all," Arnaud confirmed, sickening amusement in his tone. "Babette is worried, as was expected, but I swore that I would find her."

"Preferably dead than alive, I say." Jacques replied in the same manner.

Cogsworth quickly reached to cover Lumière's cry allowing Arnaud to speak unknowingly on behalf of the three.

"You did not kill her yet, did you?"

"No, not yet," Jacques answered, the pair exhaling a relieved breath. "It would be pointless to kill the little whelp without her dearly beloved parents here to see it. What good is revenge when one can not revel in it?"

"How are we going to pull that off?"

"Not here," Jacques snarled immediately. "Have you not yet learned that even walls have ears?"

"Who is going to hear us?"

The question must have been answered with a silencing glare, the pair assumed, as no words followed that they could hear.

"Speaking of spies, what are we to do with the boy?"

"We shall deal with him soon enough," Jacques said. "He is so desperate to see his father again. The right thing to do would be to oblige the request, but all in good time. Come, we have much to discuss."

A few moments later, Lumière and Cogsworth peeked outside as they heard a door loudly click shut. Cautiously, they climbed out and onto a small side table before sliding down to the floor.

"I have it in my right mind to kill him now," Lumière growled.

"Calm yourself; no good will come to us if you do not," Cogsworth warned, realizing that for once, the shoe had to be on the other foot. Lumière was constantly telling him to do the same; it was his turn to be the voice of reason. The Frenchman could not afford to be hotheaded now.

Lumière took a deep breath, but it did not help. This was the final nail in the coffin for both men. One that he wished a lifetime in hell to, and one that had betrayed the entire household's trust. Getting Lina home safely was no longer his solitary goal; he would not rest until each received their just punishments. Forget lifetime imprisonment, he demanded the sentence of death.

"Lumière," Cogsworth said insistently. "I see the wheels turning in your head; really now, you have to calm down."

The candelabra looked at his stout companion. As often as he fought and debated with him, Cogsworth was first and foremost his comrade and friend. There was no concealing any emotion from him; the bond of friendship was too strong to hide from.

Lumière nodded, about to respond, when the door across the hall began to open again. Had they been on the table, striking the appropriate poses would have worked; being on the floor, it was best to hide in the shadows.

Arnaud was mumbling to himself in irritation. Most of his words were inaudible, but fortunately, he was not so intelligent to say the important ones silently.

"Always sending me to check on her, cursed royals…"

To follow him would lead to Lina, they realized, vigilantly keeping close at his heels. A hallway here, a staircase there, and soon enough, Arnaud stopped in front of the appointed door.

Slipping in, careful to not be seen by either of them, Lumière and Cogsworth hid in a dark corner, hardly able to resist running to the other side of the room. There, Lina rested uncomfortably, conscious of her surroundings but nonetheless still bleary from the after effects of the toxin. The sight brought Lumière to a state of anguish. There was his daughter, his little girl that he treasured more than his own life, weak and frail, and he was powerless to console her. It took every bit of strength he had to hold himself back.

"What do you want?" Lina asked, her voice raspy and leading to a coughing fit even after a meager few words. What she would have given for a bit of water!

"He asked me to check on you," Arnaud replied. "Pointless trying to talk to a person who is unaware of what you are saying."

"The last thing I want is your true master's company," she snarled.

"You do not have any choice; I will inform him that you are awake."

Without waiting for a response, he was gone, the latch locking creakily from the other side of the door.

Lina sagged against the wall with what little strength she had left. Her head was throbbing, and her throat was excruciatingly parched. With her hands awkwardly tied over her head, the rope tightly wound around her wrists, she felt them growing number by the second. Closing her eyes, her head lulled further to her chest; it was torture trying to hold it up any longer.

Lumière could take no more. Despite Cogsworth's protests, Lumière ordered him to keep watch, and ran to her side, purposefully remaining in his object figure. It was far too risky to change back to his human self, much as he wanted to.

The sight alone nearly brought him to tears. Once when she was a little girl, Lina had, unknowingly to her parents, gone outside to play in the rain, returning later with a wretched cold that lasted for quite a few days on end. He had spent those nights close at her side as if death would steal her away if he did not keep watch over her, letting the others have a laugh at his overdone concern. If he thought that predicament was horrible, looking at her in this state was utterly unbearable.

Extinguishing his one candle hand, Lumière reached to touch her cheek softly, pulling back for only a moment as she flinched. Just like her mother in so many ways.

Lina moaned, painfully exhausted, and slowly opening her eyes, she tried to focus on what had disturbed the short-lived peace she had found. When her vision finally centered on Lumière in his candelabra shape, she could not suppress a whine.

"Mon Dieu, now I am hallucinating!"

"Hush-sh-sh, quiet down," Lumière soothed. "It is me, I promise."

Lina focused again, her appearance still making it seem like a chore. "Papa…how did you…?"

"No time to explain, ma petite chandelle," he replied, slowly climbing up to her shoulder. "We have come to get you out of here, and precious time will be wasted with talk."

Turning her head slowly to watch him burn through the rope, she asked, "We? You are not alone?"

"No, I brought Cogsworth with me," he answered, gesturing to the clock who waved with a smile.

Lina frowned. "I think you have burned your last sane wick, Papa."

Cogsworth mirrored her expression. "If I had not come with him, young lady, he would have gone insane a long time ago!"

"Stop it, both of you!" Lumière hissed, turning up the heat on his flame to burn through the weaving faster and scowling at their timepiece watch guard. "This is difficult enough as it is without you making her angry!"

Cogsworth rolled his eyes. He should have known he would be outnumbered, even with Lina being as dazed as she was. Some things will never change, he thought, going back to his lookout position, and thank goodness he did.

"Lumière!" he whispered nervously. "I never thought I would say this, but I think you should take a rest from your work! That de Crochet fiend is coming!"

Lumière muttered a choice curse under his breath and jumped down quickly to join Cogsworth in their dark corner. "Stay calm, ma fille; it will be all right. We are right here with you."

Precisely a moment later, the door flew open, sending a sudden wave of air to douse Lumière's flames before he could do so himself.

"Rise and shine, my pet," Jacques crooned, kneeling at her side and reaching to lift her chin. Lina defiantly responded by taking a well-aimed spit at his hand, her tired face displaying no sign of regret.

His eyes flashed in anger as she had hit his uncovered hand; she could have at least had a little consideration to hit the gloved one! Taking a slow breath, he mockingly wiped his hand against her skirt, refusing to ruin his finest attire to clean it.

"So glad to see that you have risen from your slumbers."

"Oh I'm sure you are," she drawled sarcastically.

Jacques' patience was wearing thin, but he kept the cool demeanor. "Your mother has taught you well in the ways of mockery."

"How would you know?" she snapped.

"Oh I know, quite well indeed," he smirked. "Babette may serve your master now, but she was born and bred here, amongst my own staff."

"Remind me to offer my condolences," Lina growled.

"Such a witty tongue from a lowly wench," Jacques continued. "She would be proud to see you now, defying your superiors as she herself did. But I wonder." He gripped her face roughly. "If you are truly like her…such a tongue should satisfy as quickly as it argues."

As he leaned forward with the intent to experiment with his theory, Lina struggled, succeeding in sinking her teeth into his hand. Jacques cried out painfully, unable to contain his rage any longer. He swiftly pulled away that hand only to give her a sudden smack with the other. In the corner, Lumière burst into flame, but Cogsworth blew them out before Jacques could notice.

"You foul-mouthed little slut," he hissed in pain. "Worthless whore, how dare you!"

"Quite easily, if you must know," Lina smirked, all too much a reflection of her father than the aristo could handle. "All one has to do is bear the teeth and bite down."

Even kneeling before her sitting figure, Jacques towered over the girl in an intimidating manner. Overcome with rage, all thoughts of lust vanished from his mind; the hunter now demanded blood from his kill. "Nothing, absolutely nothing would please me more than to watch you writhe in slow, tortuous death."

Lina's sarcasm continued as she asked, "What is stopping you?"

"I am starting to ask myself the same question," he snarled. "But then I remember how much more fulfilling it would be seeing your mother in agony as she watches by my side. First you, then your father, and the last link she has left to her dearest friend: his son, your lover."

Lumière had to fight to keep his jaw from dropping; that was why Etienne seemed so familiar! He was Jean Claude's son, who had been orphaned when Jacques had him murdered. With God as a witness, Lumière mentally swore that when the time did come, Jacques would certainly get what he deserved this time; he would see to that personally.

Lina, on the other hand, made her tone more civilized. "Etienne…what have you done with him?"

Jacques grinned, pleased that he had struck the right chord. "Not to worry, he is being as well taken care of as you are."

In a record second, Lina felt her mind snap with rage. Her jaw tightly clenched, her eyes furious in their daze, she spoke, her voice slow and deadly. "Burn. In. Hell."

"You would love to finish what you started, wouldn't you?" Jacques sneered, removing his glove, displaying his badly scorched hand. "Do you remember this, my pet? You were so young, but yet you managed to continue your father's work that night at the masque ball."

Lina refused to show any of the terror that began crawling throughout her body. Much as she had tried, she had not forgotten the event, but she would not give this man any pleasure in seeing her frightened.

"You will never get away with any of this."

Jacques laughed amused. "How very cliché of you to say so."

"I was taught to speak the truth."

"I am certain you were, but this time, my pet," Jacques said as he leaned in closer. "The truth will not set you free."

He rose slowly to his feet, sliding the glove onto his hand once again. "I bid you good night, my precious Chandellina. I pray you enjoy it, for it is your last, I assure you."


	12. Chapter Twelve

_Chapter Twelve_

As the door closed heavily, signifying the murderer's exit, Lumière lit his hands aglow as he and Cogsworth stepped towards Lina once again.

"That man will not live after tonight, I can assure you," he said softly, addressing the room in general, neither of the two in particular.

"There is no time for death threats, you ninny!" Cogsworth scolded. "Start up the old burners; we've got to get out of here!"

As Lumière started to climb towards the rope, Lina nudged him away. "Papa, stop. He is right; we do not have a lot of time."

He looked at her confused. "First of all, never admit that Cogsworth is right in my presence." This, of course, earned him an indignant scowl from said clock. "Secondly, what do you mean stop?"

Lina gave her hands a tug, the gloves starting to slide off. Perfect, Arnaud did not tie them as tightly as he thought! With a grin of definite success, she replied, "I can burn through this myself; just help me get these off."

"Do you know what will happen if Jacques finds you turned loose?" Lumière argued.

"Most likely what he will do if he finds the both of you trying to do the same."

Lumière sighed uncertainly, glancing to Cogsworth for some assistance. The clock raised his arms in a neutral response.

"Reminding you of someone, is she?" he asked knowingly. "Precisely like you were at her age?"

Lumière rolled his eyes. "You are such a help," he grumbled sarcastically. While Cogsworth took to Lina's other shoulder to help, Lumière tugged away at the glove as he addressed his daughter. "Well then, I see you have all the answers; what exactly are we supposed to do while you burn yourself free?"

"I will stay here in case he returns while you both find Etienne," she answered casually.

"Oh, absolutely!" Lumière nodded, his sarcasm still present. "Leave you here unprotected with no guarantee that Jacques will not return; that is a grand idea!"

Lina sighed. "What other choice is there? You will do more good by helping him and let me handle this myself!"

Cogsworth continued as they lifted the first glove off. "How do you propose we find him? The boy could be anywhere in this pitiful excuse of a hole! It would be impossible to find him!"

"Oui, you have a point," Lina nodded, slowly breaking into the hereditary smirk.

Cogsworth groaned at the foreboding sight. "Not again! That look is what brought me here in the first place!"

"It would be impossible for two humans, of course," Lina explained. "But for two seemingly innocent objects, I see no danger ahead."

"Don't you start that, young lady!" Cogsworth argued adamantly. "We came for _you_ and _you alone._ When we return to the castle, we shall tell the master and come back for the boy with reinforcements if necessary."

Lina pouted adorably. "Oh, all right then. Although all your efforts would be in vain if I were to die of a broken heart! I can not believe I was so foolish to think that someone as intelligent, caring, brave, and wonderful as you would be able to help Papa in getting freeing Etienne. He could not possibly do it without your strong guidance!"

Lumière was about to protest instinctively, but one look silenced him. Cogsworth, on the other hand, gave her one last pleading glance, desperate to leave as soon as possible, but her eyes only grew wider and more heart wrenching. As when she was able to do when she was little, Lina had forced him into an inevitable surrender.

"I have yet to figure out which of you will send me to my death first," the poor man groaned as the pair removed the second glove. "Lumière…where should we start?"

Lumière could not resist a smile as Cogsworth jumped down to the floor.

"That's my girl," he whispered to her proudly before doing the same. "Swear that you will be careful! Keep your ears and eyes open if you hear anything!"

"I swear," Lina promised. "Go on, he needs you more than I do."

Her words did not ease his fear, but he nodded in agreement. Drawing a small, uncomfortable looking stool under the doorknob, they both climbed on, Lumière boosting Cogsworth up to open it. Before they left, the candelabra sent one last promising glance to his daughter.

After laughing gently hearing her father tell his companion what a pushover he was, Lina looked up at the rope. Grasping where Lumière already given it a decent starting burn, she closed her eyes and concentrated.

"_Palmus bursto flamus."_

* * *

"If we make it out of here alive, it will be a miracle!" Cogsworth muttered, relaxing after yet another watchful eyed guard passed by the place where they had safely posed. Lumière hushed him, however, as he heard a noise through a barred door. Gesturing for Cogsworth to follow, he cautiously made his way to it to peek inside.

"Ah ha, there he is," he cried in a triumphant whisper.

Sure enough, inside was Etienne's understandably weak form sprawled over the solid ground. Examining the wide space between the bars, Lumière shimmied his way through before helping a struggling Cogsworth to follow suit.

"Well, we found him," Cogsworth agreed, wobbling over to the boy. "Now what? I doubt Lina has told him anything about the spell. He is certain to think he is losing his mind if we wake him up."

"I know, but what other choice do we have?" Lumière asked, gently giving Etienne's shoulder a shake. "Etienne? Etienne, wake up."

"Here now, lad," Cogsworth added, patting his face with his small metal hand. "Come on then, do get up!"

After a moment, Etienne stirred, squeezing tight his closed sensitive eyes at the hint of Lumière's flame light. The pair jumped out of the way as he rolled onto his stomach to prop himself onto his forearm. Rubbing his eyes faintly, he opened them to take a look around the room, trying to focus using the candlelight.

"Who…who's there?" he asked.

"It is only us," a familiar voice answered.

Etienne forced himself to sit up and glanced around the room, puzzled to find no one. "Who? I do not see you."

"Down here."

Neither Lumière nor Cogsworth expected anything less than the reaction they received. Once confused, Etienne's expression now revealed shock at the sight of a clock and candelabra that could talk and move like humans.

"What the…? I must be dreaming, losing my very mind!" he stuttered, trying to force himself away in fear, his voice rising with every word.

"Hush now, Etienne," Lumière offered. "It is only us, strange as we may appear."

Etienne stared at them for a long hard moment. "Monsieur Lumière? Monsieur Cogsworth? Th-this is impossible…what happened to you?"

"It looks quite inexplicable, yes," Cogsworth sighed. "But you must believe us; you are still quite sane, I promise."

"I do not believe it," Etienne continued, pressing a hand to his hand to his forehead as if to check for a fever.

"I know, but for the moment, we can not explain it," Lumière said hurriedly. "All in good time, I swear you will hear the whole truth; right now, we must get Lina and yourself to safety. That is why we are here."

"Lina?" Etienne asked, his mind snapping to attention at the very mention of her name. "She is here? The monseigneur has her here?"

Lumière nodded, "Oui, and it will do little good should we waste any more precious minutes. Come, quickly now."

As they turned to the door, another bright light shone in the hallway and they waited with bated breath as it opened.

"Mon Dieu, you will all get yourselves killed if you talk any louder!" Lina hissed, as a mother would reprimand her children. On her pointer finger was a tiny flame.

Etienne, hastily but awkwardly, rose to his feet. The thought of her had been the only thing that kept Jacques' men from breaking whatever was left of his spirit. Her presence before him brought a newfound strength, and he unsteadily hurried into her embrace. Lina in turn held her flame lit finger far away from him, nevertheless holding him tightly against her.

"Lina, thank God; you are alive!" he whispered, burying his one hand deeply in her thick locks and drawing her forehead close to kiss it gently.

Oh to hell with her powers! Extinguishing the flame, Lina wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. "When I think of what he had done to you…"

"I know, I know," he soothed, swaying to rock her gently. "My fears precisely."

"Oh Lord," Cogsworth muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes and throwing his hands in the air exasperated. "We are going to die; we are most definitely going to die!"

Lumière shot him a harsh look, but unfortunately had to agree. "As painful as it is to ask, I beg you both to hold those thoughts; it will be much better if you can enjoy them alive and safe. If we stay here any longer, I assure you, you will be neither."

Lina and Etienne glanced down at them with an amused smile, silently submitting to his request. Mirroring the expressions, Lumière continued, "Très bien. Lina, take Cogsworth and help me light the way; Etienne, you are with me. Let's go."

Lina gathered the clock gently in her arm, as if he were a newborn babe, and with a snap, relit her finger. As Etienne picked up Lumière, he could not help but look at her curiously, and she simply smiled.

"Later, I promise," she said, answering his unasked question as they made their way with caution into the hallway.

Etienne walked ahead of her, being the one most associated with the manor. It had to be the single time in his entire life that he was grateful to have served there for so long; he knew of every nook and corner to hide in should there be a chance they would be caught.

When the small rescue party reached the front hall, the real challenge arose. The room was massive and open. Curtains and tapestries were high and off the ground, and uncovered windows allowed direct moonlight to shine into the room. The solitary place of shelter was in the shadows of the grand staircase, but even that was too dangerous. One look over the rails at the correct angle, and those in hiding would be discovered.

As Lumière darkened his flames, Etienne moved forward slowly, barely breathing in fear of making any sound. Glancing in each direction, listening for any movement, he only motioned for Lina and Cogsworth to follow when he felt group was out of harm's way.

Pointing her to the door, Lina watched as Etienne stepped aside to grab two prized mounted swords off the wall, and a few other items—she could not see what—from a side table drawer. Stowing the mysterious items securely in the leg of his trousers, he gathered the blades in his free hand, moving silently to join her again.

"A thief are you?" she breathed, her voice making a murmur sound like a shout, unable to suppress a grin.

"I would prefer to call it borrowing," he replied at the same volume. "Could not hurt to be prepared and use his own artillery against him if need be."

Lina nodded in agreement as Etienne reached for the doorknob. Biting his lip nervously, he turned it little by little with severe discretion until it clicked freely unlatched. Despite his pulling it open lightly, the hinges released a screeching creak, and all of them froze, paralyzed in fear. Etienne listened for any hints of danger, but continued seconds later, relieved when he heard none. The door was soon open wide, the path to freedom there before their eyes…

From upstairs, a shriek rang loud and clear throughout the manor; Etienne and Lina whirled around startled to find Adele at the top of the stairs. Without missing a beat, they followed their instincts to do all they could: run for their very lives.

"Jacques!" she screamed. "Jacques, hurry; they've escaped! They're getting away!"

The man himself answered her beckoning call seconds later, Arnaud close at his heels. Looking into Lina's room, he expectedly found nothing, swearing like a sailor as they ran for the hall. Finding the swords gone, his words grew more infuriated as he gathered another from the nearby study.

While Arnaud ran to untie his horse at the gate, Jacques hastened to the stables where a small boy bolted awake to saddle his master's horse. Clumsy from nerves at seeing him so angry and his strength very little, he stumbled a bit, dropping the heavy saddle that was slung over his shoulder, and resorted to dragging it towards the horse.

Desperately impatient, Jacques grabbed the child by the scruff of his neck, literally throwing him aside. "Out of my way, you filthy brat!" he ordered, putting the bridle on himself and jumping onto the animal bareback. The horse reared at the unexpected action, but nonetheless obeyed his master as Jacques kicked him into a run.

"Get moving, you idiot!" he shouted to Arnaud as he reached the gate. "Do not let them get away!"

And so the chase began, both horses' hooves pounding like thunder into the night.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

_Chapter Thirteen_

The Black Forest: even after the spell was broken, it had remained a forbidden land during the nightly hours to everyone who lived at the palace in the Chateau Mountains. Without the light of day, no one dared to step foot there unless it was positively necessary for travel purposes. Wolves continued to hunt the wooded area at night, looking for any prey; whatever, or whoever, dared to wander into their territory was fair game in their ferocious eyes.

Despite the encouragement from Lumière and Cogsworth to move on, Lina and Etienne halted their run, exhausted and having not yet seen anyone following them. They had exerted themselves more than they could withstand, and brave as they were, Etienne had still been beaten and Lina had been drugged. It was a miracle that they had made it this far and stopped only once.

"Right then!" Cogsworth pleaded, "Break over! Do you realize how close we are to home!"

Lina smothered her hand over his mouth. "I know that!" she whispered breathlessly. "Just…one more second! Please, just one more!"

The all too familiar sound of determined hoofbeats turned Lumière's attentions behind them. "A second is far too long! They are catching up to us!"

Without thinking twice, Lina and Etienne glanced back only once before breaking into another run. Their legs ached, their lungs felt ready to collapse, but they were determined to live. Behind them, Jacques and Arnaud drove their horses faster and faster until they were inches from their targets.

Drawing his sword, Jacques focused on Etienne first, taking a deadly swipe at his arm where he held the stolen blades. It was a simple strategy: destroy the weaponry leaving your victims with no means of fighting back. His aim was true, unfortunately, and with a scream of pain, the boy went down, gripping his already bruised arm tightly. The blades and the candelabra he held crashed to the ground a few feet away. Satisfied with his victory, Jacques pulled his horse to a standstill, shouting orders to Arnaud.

"I will deal with this one; do not let the girl get away!"

Having placed Cogsworth down in safety, Lina ran to grab one of the swords, but Arnaud beat her to them. Directing his horse to blockade her path, forcing her to turn around, he leapt down to grab her into a strangle hold. Without a second thought, Lina threw her hands onto his arm, intensely scorching it. He cried out in anguishing pain releasing her, but not without striking her with a backhanded smack to her face

Seeing her fall, Etienne glared at Arnaud, using whatever muscle he had to crawl to Lina's side. Distracted, he did not see Jacques' boot make harsh contact with his back from behind.

Grabbing Etienne by the hair, Jacques drew his ever-present dagger from its sheath, holding the blade dangerously against his throat. "First a liar, then a traitor, now a thief; just like your father before you! Ungrateful guttersnipe, you have been nothing but a thorn in my side ever since you were a child! It is about time I obliged your request to see your father again; it is long overdue!"

"Jacques?" Arnaud interrupted.

"Shut up!" he answered, but not turning around. "I want to enjoy this."

Arnaud only continued nervously. "Jacques."

"I said shut up!"

"Jacques, I mean it! I would turn around if I were you!"

"What is so God damn…?"

Jacques turned angrily, but could not finish his sentence as he froze, petrified at what he saw.

Behind the two young men, four massive paws hammered against the ground as the most hideous, unimaginable creature came towards them. Jacques' eyes grew wide and fearful, and he fell on his backside trying to scramble backwards as he looked up into the animal's face. The horrific Beast towered over him as it rose on its hind legs, a good ten feet tall from the tip of his horns to his tiniest toe. Two gigantic boar-like teeth jutted out from his bottom lip, perfectly framing the smaller, sharper ones that were revealed as it snarled at both men. Even Etienne darted for a weapon, feeling threatened by this monster, but Lina held him back.

"Don't," she said, helping him to his feet. "He is on our side."

Fear shaking his voice, Arnaud could hardly believe he was able to speak at all. "Oh mon Dieu…it-it can't be."

"No, it was a myth," Jacques trembled. "You told me it was all a myth!"

"As you can see, he lied," the Beast growled in a deep, animalistic form of Vincent's voice, confirming both their fears. "And from what I have been told, it is a talent that he has perfected quite well!"

"M-m-master," Arnaud begged, falling to his knees. "I-I do not know this man; believe me, I beg you!"

"Silence!" Vincent roared. "As one of our own, you know that I am not the man I was; that does not mean I will excuse treason and betrayal. You will both suffer the consequences for your actions, I assure you."

As he spoke, Vincent failed to notice Jacques gather a tiny bit of gravel and dust in his hand, and the sinister fiend flung the natural blinding weapon into the Beast's eyes before jumping to his feet to run into the woods. Arnaud started to follow, but the two younger men, Chip and Alexandre, tackled him, striving and succeeding to bring the traitor to his knees.

Lumière and Cogsworth, returning to their human forms, rushed to their master's side. The Beast façade melted away, revealing their prince once more.

"Master? Are you all right?" Cogsworth asked worriedly.

"Yes, just a minute," Vincent replied, allowing his eyes to tear and focus.

"But they will get away!"

When he could see again, Vincent spoke, reassuring him. "No one can find their way out of the forest the first time they travel in it at night." Surveying the situation at hand, he continued. "First things first, we must get Lina and Etienne back to the castle; they need to be tended to. The captain as well, but he shall wait for anything that he needs, for a _long _time in the towers. Let's go."

Lumière stared for a moment in the direction where Jacques had escaped, before turning to the prince. "Master, what about Jacques? He is still out there."

"Let him run," he replied. "There is nothing that either of us can do at present but get everyone home." As the group began to move, Vincent glanced over his shoulder to see that Lumière had not joined them. "He is not our primary concern right now. When all is settled at the castle, I shall send the guards out to find him."

"Master, please; that is not enough," Lumière pleaded. "We thought he could do nothing years ago when your uncle had him imprisoned. We assumed he had left us alone after the night of the masque ball, but look at what he has done tonight! I refuse to let that man go about his way any longer. Permit me to find him alone if I must, but I will not rest knowing that he is still out there, free to strike again when he sees an opportunity to do so."

"No!"

Both men turned to find that Etienne had interrupted them.

"Monsieur Lumière, he will destroy you if you go alone. You know as well as I that nothing will stop Jacques de Crochet when he sets his mind to kill what stands in his way. He will take what he wants, and if you find him, he will want your life!"

"He will not stop until someone stops _him_!" Lumière argued. "What else is there to do?"

"Whatever it is, let me go with you!"

"No."

"Please! This is my fight as well!" Etienne begged. "He murdered my father!"

"He ravaged my wife and nearly killed my daughter, twice to be exact! I have every right to want him dead as much as you do!" Lumière shouted, pausing a moment to calm his tone as the entire group kept silent. Rarely did he raise his voice as he did then, but when he did, all knew that he was adamant about what his mind was set to do. "If I do not come back…both Babette and Lina will need you. Stay with them."

Etienne raised his eyes from where he had lowered his gaze to the ground, staring intently into Lumière's before the older man gathered one of the swords. Their gazes met one more time as Lumière brushed past him, Etienne pleading one last time to allow him to go. Lumière only turned and went about his way.

Etienne closed his eyes tightly in conflicted defeat. In his heart, he knew the man was right. Should anything unfortunate happen to her father, he would be all that Lina and her mother would have left to protect them. At the same time, he knew helping Lumiere stay alive would protect them more, and therefore, his mind was made up.

* * *

Where was the way out of this God forsaken forest? Jacques stopped to look around, attempting not to panic; it was not natural for him to feel this way. He had always known what to do, even in the worst situations anyone could imagine. But now, there was nowhere to flee. No one to turn to, no path to run for!

"Lost your way?"

He whirled around, recognizing Lumière's familiar taunting tones, but saw no one.

"Can not escape this time, can you?"

Jacques turned in the opposite direction, still not finding a soul in sight.

"Coward!" he shouted. "That is all you are! You can not even face me like a man!"

Lumière stepped forward from the mist, his fist clenched tightly around the hilt of his sword.

"You? Calling _me_ a coward?" he asked, sickeningly amused. "You obviously did not see the look on your face when the master made his stunning entrance. And then that little trick you pulled with the gravel before you ran, abandoning your friend, the captain? Indeed, such honor, such dignity and bravery…for a hypocrite!"

Jacques snarled in rage as he drew his own sword, instantly showering Lumière with a flurry of thrusts, crushing his back into a tree.

"I do not take criticism from a degraded weakling of a thief," he growled.

Lumière shoved him away before both contenders circled one another, never averting their eyes.

"If you fought half as well as you ridicule, I would admit to admiring such swordsmanship," he provoked.

"Admire this then!" the madman parried verbally and physically. As Jacques thrashed at his opponent, Lumière kept his own sword moving in strong defense. Neither one moved a muscle moments later when they reached a standstill.

"You…" Jacques snarled, "The one thing that was rightfully mine, and you took it from me. A mere servant stole from _me_!"

Lumière forced his voice to tread carefully. "A man can not claim stolen what was never his in the first place."

Jacques slowly advanced, his preparation to attack growing more obvious with every step. "Her love, her desire, and then her child; everything about her belonged to me!"

Lumière held his sword in front of him, ready for anything his opponent had to offer. "She never loved you, ever, just as you did not love her. The last thing you bestow upon those you care for is pain, and you certainly gave her plenty of that!"

"Believe what you will. She belongs to me, and I will make every attempt to reclaim her as long as I live."

"Well, we can not have you living then, can we?"

"On the contrary; the last person that needs to be living is you!"

Both blades clashed in a deadly fury, so intensely that were spectators present, they would swear they had seen sparks fly. There would be no more pauses, no more conversation; neither challenger would rest until one or the other lay dead. How much time had passed, no one would ever know, but after what felt like an eternity, Jacques could stand the battle no more.

Forcing the hilt of his sword against that of Lumière, Jacques held him at bay while he brought the toe of his boot around, pulling Lumière's foot out from under him. His back slamming against the ground, Lumière cringed in pain from the force of the fall, gasping as the tip of Jacques' blade held him by the throat.

"This little game of yours has gone on for long enough," he hissed viciously. Slowly, he knelt down and rested his knee painfully on Lumière's chest. Still holding the sword in place, Jacques pulled his glove off with his teeth, and reached for his dagger with his scarred hand. The smaller blade then took the place of the larger sword. "None of your precious fire can save you now, fool. I've waited for this moment for so many years; it is positively more glorious than I could have even imagined. Oh yes, and I swear I will properly bid your family farewell in your place."

Before he could retaliate, Lumière heard a shot ring out in the distance, trying to see where it had come from. When he looked at Jacques again, the man was rigid, his white shirt staining a deep red hue.

Swallowing the bitter taste of blood, Jacques weakly turned to look behind him, stumbling a bit, but determined to rise to his feet. Lowering a pistol before him was Etienne.

"You…" Jacques managed before breaking into a coughing fit, gasping for air. In seconds, his legs surrendered to weakness, and he fell heavily on his hands and knees.

Etienne ran to him, grabbed the dagger the dying man still gripped strongly and threw it aside.

"You murdered my father, made an innocent woman's life a living hell," he growled angrily, gripping the man's collar tightly. "You nearly ravaged the lady I love and then attempted to slay her own father. May God have mercy on your vile soul, Jacques de Crochet; you will need it where you are headed."

By the time Etienne released him, Jacques, the final de Crochet son, fell to the ground. Dead.


	14. Epilogue

_Epilogue_

For a brief moment, Lumière could only stare in disbelief at Jacques' lifeless body. It was over, finally over, and squeezing his eyes shut tightly, he took a deep relieved breath. At last, for the first time in years, he could sleep well knowing that his family would be safe.

Slowly, he rose to his feet walking to Etienne's side. Lumière placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, but drew him to his feet as he heard the faint sounds of sobbing.

"Are you satisfied?" he asked.

Etienne drew in a shaky breath, and hesitated before he answered. "Yes. I am."

The older man pulled him close in a fatherly embrace. "It will not change the past, even though you hoped it would, oui?"

Feeling a nod of agreement, Lumière put Etienne back at arms' length, his smile a comforting sight. "Come, your home is with us now; the master will surely have something for you to do. He has not turned anyone away in years."

With the young man in tow, Lumière added, "And one more thing."

"What is that, monsieur?"

The infamous smirk shone bright and clear. "Thank you for coming after me, but Lina will never forgive me if something happened to you. Save us both the trouble, and swear that you will never do that again."

Etienne laughed. "I swear it."

When they arrived at the castle some time later, Lumière led him to the servants' quarters sitting room where, as expected, Lina was anxiously waiting for them.

"Look what I brought home for you," he called, moving aside. He would have his own moment with his daughter later; for now, it was best she saw Etienne safe and sound.

Lina jumped from her seat at his voice, tears of joy streaming from her eyes as she ran into Etienne's arms. Lumière smiled, stepping away to give them their privacy, but the fatherly instinct kept him waiting just outside the door.

"What were you thinking going after him like that?" Lina cried into his shoulder. "You could have been killed!"

"I know, but I am here now, alive and well," Etienne answered, stroking her hair softly. "At least he can not hurt us anymore."

Lina pulled away to look at him, and he took her face sweetly in his hands, kissing away her tears. "Don't ever leave me again," she begged.

"I had no intention of doing so, I swear it," Etienne promised, staring deeply into her eyes to prove his words. "I will stay by your side forever if you will let me. I love you, Chandellina."

She looked at him blankly for a moment before breaking into a gentle smile. "You…you do?"

"Very, _very _much," he grinned.

Overcome with another teary flood of emotion, she kissed him gently before she replied. "Je t'aime aussi…always."

Lumière could not suppress a grin, watching them share a true first kiss.

"You are not going to stop them?"

He laughed gently at the voice he knew and adored. "Do you want me to?"

Babette moved beside him to look in and smile on the scene; by then, Lina and Etienne had broken apart to simply hold each other close. "I think it will be all right to leave them alone."

Taking Lumière's hand, she led him farther down the hall, melting into his embrace, but becoming quite serious. "What happened? Please tell me that Jacques can no longer bring us any harm."

"Unless he can return from the dead, that is the honest truth," Lumière confirmed. "I promise you, it is all over."

"Merci le Dieu," Babette breathed. "Thank you, ten thousand times! No more…"

"No more," he repeated, holding her tight, never wanting to let her go.

* * *

The first of December. Babette rose to her feet, touching her mother's headstone one last time before turning to Lumière.

"First time in years that this place has actually felt completely safe," she said, leaning into his arms as they turned to walk towards the horses.

"I thought it would," Lumière whispered, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Just give them some more time, and then we will head for home."

Babette gazed a little farther down the path. There, Lina was watching as Etienne, knelt at a headstone, paid his respects to his father.

"Jean-Claude would have been proud of him," she said. "His training is going exceedingly well."

Lumière nodded. "Rest assured, he will be a captain before we know it some day."

As they watched Etienne stand, Lina drawing him comfortingly close, Babette sighed. "It is not fair, to have lost him at such a young age."

"What is done, is done, ma plumette," Lumière offered, knowing deep inside that the words would never ease either his wife or the boy. "I doubt that Jean-Claude would have wanted his son's life any other way than this; he has us now."

"Especially Lina," Babette smiled. "She still shows off that ring every chance she can; it will be a miracle if the engagement lasts as long as they plan."

"It will if I have anything to say about it," Lumière replied sharply.

Babette rolled her eyes teasingly. "Still casting stones, fatherly instinct or not?"

"We had no choice but to have a short engagement."

"I know, I know." She smiled adorably. "That does not mean I would have exchanged anything about that for the world."

Lumière smirked. "Neither would I, ma cherie; neither would I."

Watching Lina and Etienne walk up the path to meet them, Lumière and Babette smiled at their good fortune. Life had its ups and downs along its rocky way, but all and all, nothing could have made them happier. For at the end of every frightening tunnel, there would always be a light in the darkness.

* * *

_A/N: Well. It's finally over, and corny as it sounds, I really can't help but feel both relieved and upset. A few years ago when I started writing this little "series", I thought I'd never get past _Beginning_, as I was always too lazy to really just get up and get going. Very few of my stories that I started were ever finished. I'm glad this set wassome of the lucky few._

_On that note, I'd really like to thank every one for actually taking the time to sit and read my stories; that alone grants you all my gratitude and appreciation. I know they aren't your typical B&B fanfics, and if you gave them a second glance, they must at least be somewhat good. So to my great reviewers over the course of the three stories, my thanks to you all!_

_Finally, my utmost thanks to Trudi. The woman has sat up and put up with all my whining, insanity, and rambling over the course of time that I've been asking her to beta. The stories really would not be half as good, let alone brilliant, as they are without all her help. I wish there was a way to put co-author/muse/great person, SOMEthing next to my name in the title, 'cause that is what she has been. Trudi, love ya girl!_

_Before this gets way too long, I will say this is not the end. I still have way too many ideas up in the old attic, and would love to see a lot of the readers come back when they arrive. In the meantime, hope you enjoyed the trilogy. Thanks all and, as I like to say,Faith out!_


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